Lessons in Love
by Andrea O'Down
Summary: After their kiss on stage there's still so much to figure out for Johnny and Cia. None of them has been in a relationship before, after all.
1. Chapter 1

_This is it, my sequel to "Keep on Singing". It's going to center around Johnny and Cia and how they try to work out this whole relationship-thing. The others are going to show up, too, of course, but the chapters are going to be written in Johnny's and Cia's perspectives only. I know there's a female OC involved, but I love my Cia, and I hope you're going to give the story a chance. For those that haven't been scared off yet, thanks for sticking with me and have fun reading! ^^_

* * *

 _Johnny_

"So how's the not-that-kind-of-girl-kind of girl doing?" his father asks, and Johnny rolls his eyes.

"She's doing fine," he replies. "And would you please stop calling her that?"

"No," his father replies, followed by a laugh. "It's just too funny. I bet _everyone_ knew, except for her maybe."

Johnny rolls his eyes again. He has to admit, after their kiss, so many things suddenly made sense. Ash telling him that he _lllllllikes_ Cia. Mike telling them they could go back to being _lovey-dovey_.

They all could have given him a hint, though. If they really knew and he didn't. Although Ash tried, maybe, but he isn't sure about that.

"The boys are still making comments on you having your first girlfriend," his father goes on.

Johnny shrugs. "They have a point. Cia is my first girlfriend."

His father looks at him for a moment, and he wears that smirk on his face, so Johnny expects another comment on Cia being the not-that-kind-of-girl-kind of girl.

To his surprise his father asks, "When do I get to meet her?" He taps against the class separating them. "You know, it'll take a while with all the paperwork and such."

Johnny clears his throat. "I … uhm … I don't think we have reached the parents-meeting-level yet. We have only been dating for a couple of weeks."

"It's been ten weeks," his father replies. "That's more than a couple of weeks."

"I didn't know you were keeping count," Johnny replies with a twist of his mouth.

His father shrugs. "I don't have much else to do around here."

It reminds Johnny of his father's situation. Not that he could ever forget that his father is in prison. But he forgets sometimes what this means for his father. But things are looking good so far. Yes, he has to stay in prison a bit longer than the other gang members because he broke out once, but still, it could be worse. Or so he keeps telling himself.

"So?" his father asks all of a sudden, and Johnny realizes that some moments in silence have passed.

"So what?" he asks.

"So do I get to meet her soon?"

"Well, as I said we haven't…"

"...reached the parents-meeting-level yet." His father rolls his eyes. "I heard you the first time. But you'll talk to her about it, right? 'Cause I'd really like to meet her."

"Okay," Johnny replies. "I will."

"Good." His father smiles. "What else is new?"

"Not much. Still rehearsing for Mr. Moon's new show."

"And how's that album of yours coming along?"

"Good, good," Johnny replies. If you can call only having one song done good, that is. So far, it has worked out. He's still sticking to the song he turned Cia's poem into and he is still amazed by how far he's gotten with that. But he needs to start working on more songs soon. Maybe he should talk to Ash again. Her first album has been topping the charts for weeks. He makes a mental note to give Ash a call later.

"What about you, Dad?"

Luckily, his father takes the bait and starts telling him about what has happened in prison lately.

* * *

On his way back to his truck, Johnny keeps thinking about how to bring the whole meeting his dad-thing up.

It's true, he and Cia really haven't reached the parents-meeting-level yet.

Okay, they haven't reached many levels yet.

Ten weeks - yes, he knows it's been ten weeks because he keeps count on that, but it still feels like this amazing kiss on stage has just happened yesterday - and they haven't done much more than making out. Okay, making out _a lot_ , but still.

It's not that he doesn't want to take the next step, it's just that he doesn't know how to do that.

He doesn't want to push Cia to do something she maybe isn't ready for yet.

And it might have to do with the fact that he isn't sure if he is ready to take the next step yet.

Not that he doesn't want to.

He's just … well … scared? Confused? Still trying to figure things out?

Yes, the last one sounds right.

The rest, too, but he doesn't want to admit that.

As he walks up to his truck, he looks at the animal in the passenger seat. She hasn't discovered him yet as she's looking at her phone, and he takes a moment to look at her a little longer.

Suddenly she looks up and the moment she sets eyes on him, she smiles. He returns the smile, then he walks the last few steps to his car and climbs inside.

He and Cia share a quick kiss before he starts the engine and drives away.

"So, how's your dad?" Cia asks.

"He's fine."

Maybe he should tell her now that his father wants to meet her, but somehow, it doesn't feel right.

"Hey, wanna go get a pizza after work?" he changes the topic.

"Sure. Takeout?" she asks.

"If you want to. We could eat at my place."

"Great!" Something in her voice tells him that she's smiling. "After a day with Ms. Crawly at the office I'd rather spend the evening with you alone."

Johnny laughs a little at that. "I thought she's changed for the better?"

"She has. But still, she can be _challenging_ sometimes."

She joins his laugh.

They drive for a few moments in silence, until Cia speaks up.

"Oh, is that Lance over there?"

Johnny quickly looks out of the window. "Yes, could be. Ash mentioned he has gigs at a bar around here every Wednesday. Might be on his way to rehearsals with his band."

"Are they really keeping work and private life separated?"

Johnny shrugs. "They're trying. Ash doesn't go to his gigs and he doesn't come to her concerts. It seems to work for them."

"I still can't believe they got back together."

"He seems to have changed. And I trust Ash on this one. If it is what she wants, I'm fine with it."

"Was that the speech you had figured out for this intervention thing Rosita had planned when she heard they're back together?"

"It would have been," Johnny replies. "If Ash hadn't just turned on her heel and left the building."

"Rosita still mad at them?"

"No, I think she's accepted it. It is Ash's decision after all. And she's happy. However surprising that is."

"I still can't believe they got back together."

"You know what I can't believe?" Johnny says as he stops at a red light and turns his head to look at Cia.

She gives him a questioning look.

"That we got together," he says. And it's true. He still can't believe it. It happened so fast, and he didn't see it coming. Yet, he wouldn't want it any other way.

He smiles at her and Cia returns the smile.

Then she leans in closer and their lips touch, just for a second, but that's never enough for them. It never has been.

Their lips touch again, longer this time, they would have deepened the kiss, but that moment, a car horn reminds Johnny that they've only stopped at a red light.

They jump apart, and Johnny lifts his hand as a gesture of apology for the driver behind them.

"Sorry!" he says quickly although he knows they can't hear them and drives on.

Next to him, Cia giggles.


	2. Chapter 2

_I received quite a lot of reviews asking how Johnny's father is going to react to the fact that Johnny is in an interspecies-relationship. My lovely readers, have you forgotten that his father already knows that Cia is a snow leopard? He and Johnny talked about her in chapter 39 of "Keep on Singing". Besides, I do like to think that the kiss Cia and Johnny shared has been on the news somehow. So Johnny's father probably saw that already. ;) I think that interspecies-relationship are pretty common in the world of Sing, although there might be some problems coming up. Some animals might not be as accepting as others. But in my opinion, Johnny's father is fine with it as long as his son is happy. Also, he probably doesn't take this relationship too seriously because Cia's Johnny's first girlfriend and he thinks the two of them are just having fun and then Johnny is going to move on. But that's going to be addressed in the story anyway. And as I said, not all animals are as accepting as Johnny's father and our two lovebirds are going to face some problems because they are in a an interspecies-relationship. Just wait and see! In the meantime, have fun with the second chapter of "Lessons in Love". :)_

* * *

 _Cia_

Cia is not looking forward to spending another day in the office with Ms. Crawly. Ever since her promotion to a writer she's spent less and less time at the office and she knows that Buster's only asking her to come into the office when Ms. Crawly _really_ needs help.

Which she's never going to admit.

But Cia knows the drill. Just get into the office and start working.

But she didn't lie when she told Johnny that Ms. Crawly can still be challenging sometimes. She still has her moments when she makes Cia do some ridiculous work. Like organizing pencils by size. Actually, she made her do this last week.

Cia does what Ms. Crawly tells her, waits till the iguana goes out for lunch or is sent home early by Mr. Moon and then gets the work done.

Usually, Mr. Moon has something planned for Mrs. Crawly when Cia comes to the office. Cia just hopes today is no exception.

She arrives at the office around noon - and is a bit surprised that Mr. Moon didn't send Ms. Crawly out to a special restaurant for lunch.

Ms. Crawly is sitting at her desk and greets her with a smile.

Which is odd because usually Cia can't see Ms. Crawly when Mr. Moon asks her for help in the office because Ms. Crawly's desk is so loaded with towers of papers that the iguana vanishes behind it.

So Cia can only guess that her help is needed with something else.

And she finds out pretty soon.

Ms. Crawly needs help to prepare the documents for accounting. And they are due tomorrow.

The funny thing is, Ms. Crawly really tries to help her this time. But she makes things worse.

Cia doesn't let it show, but she's relieved when Mr. Moon sends Ms. Crawly home in the afternoon.

He tells her it is because she did such a great job and needs to rest because the next is the last day to prepare the documents for accounting.

The other funny thing is that Ms. Crawly doesn't complain, but just leaves.

Cia pours herself into work, not just because it is a lot of work, but because there are things she just wants to think about.

Although the thoughts come back and keep circling in her head.

She tries to work even harder, but it doesn't work.

No matter how hard she tries she keeps thinking about it.

Why haven't Johnny and her taken the next step yet?

They've been dating for ten weeks now, but haven't gone any further than making out.

Okay, making out _a lot_.

But still. That has been it.

And while she loves kissing Johnny, she wouldn't mind taking things a bit further.

But she doesn't know how to do it. She's tried, of course. But Johnny always ends things before they even get started.

She isn't sure what's the reason for that. Okay, Johnny isn't on the same level when it comes to the physical part of love, she had that one figured out pretty soon. But she isn't sure if that's the reason.

Because while she had her friendships with benefits during college, Johnny is her first relationship.

So she doesn't know anything about when the right time is to take the next step.

She can only hope that Johnny will understand how much she wants to do more than just kissing.

They'll figure it out, this whole relationship-thing, Cia is sure about that. Or so she keeps telling herself.

The sound of the door opening makes her snap out of her thoughts, and she realizes that she must have been staring into space for a little while now. That the documents on her desk haven't decreased tells her so.

She looks at the door and sees Mike enter the office. He didn't knock, of course.

Mike never knocks.

"Hi there, sweetheart!" the mouse greets her. "Is Mr. Moon in?"

"Sorry, Mike, he left for a meeting with Nana Noodleman, but he should be back soon. You want to wait?"

"Yeah, sure," Mike replies before he walks over to Ms. Crawly's desk and climbs her chair.

Cia twists her mouth.

She didn't mean for him to wait here in the office.

But she's glad that he's given up on the bodyguards. At least it's only Mike now and she doesn't have some bulky bodyguards looking at her when she's doing her work.

"Interesting work, huh?" Mike asks, and Cia realizes she must have zoned out again. At least the clock on her desk tells her so.

"Uhm, yeah," Cia says, trying to concentrate on her work again.

Mike doesn't give her a chance, though.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Mike asks with a little laugh. "Did Moon catch you and Johnny making out in one of the dressing rooms again? Believe me, it's not that bad if you still have your clothes on."

Cia rolls her eyes.

Yeah, if _that_ were the problem. That Mr. Moon could catch them _naked_ and doing more than just making out.

"Or aren't you getting enough sleep, sweetheart?"

Somehow, this rubs Cia the wrong way and she feels how she tenses up. She does _not_ like where this conversation is going.

If it could be called a conversation because it's only Mike talking.

She hates the fact that she sees Mike jumping down from the chair and walking up to her.

"I mean, I get it," he says with a smug grin on his face. "You're young and you got together not long ago. I bet you have better things to do during the night than sleeping."

What Cia hates even more is that she can't hold back and shoots Mike a glance.

"But that's not it, is it?" Mike goes on, adding some extra smug to his grin which Cia hates just as much. "So what is it? He's having … problems?"

Cia twists her mouth and turns her attention back to the papers on her desk. Or so she tries.

And no, she doesn't think that Johnny is having any problems. At least the bulge in Johnny's pants, when their making out-sessions get a little more heated and which she pretends not to see because he's trying so hard to hide it, tells her so.

"That's not it either, is it?"

Cia feels how her body tenses even more. Really, is that mouse ever going to _shut up?_

"He isn't your first, is he?" Mike asks.

Cia shoots him another glance - and wants to slap herself for it. She really needs to work on her poker face.

"Ooooooohhhh, now I get it!" Mike says, and his smirk grows even wider. "You are _his_ first!" He laughs a little at that. "Come on, sweetheart, that's easy! Just drag him to the bedroom and show him how it's done!"

Cia doesn't know why this makes her so angry, but it does.

Before she can get a hold of herself, she's grabbed Mike.

She hears how someone knocks at the door and the door opens, but she couldn't care less. The next thing she knows is that she throws Mike across the room.

She watches him fly, bounce off Johnny's chest - he's just entering the office - and land on the floor.

"You do realize, you're only proving me right, sweetheart?" Mike says, but the grin is gone from his face and his voice sounds somehow weak.

Johnny looks from Mike to her.

"What happened?" Johnny asks. "Did he call you 'kitty' or someth…"

She doesn't let him finish, she just rushes over to him and pulls him into a kiss.

She is _not_ trying to make a point here, well, not primarily. She just feels like kissing him. A lot. And while Johnny is surprised at first, he's returning the kiss pretty soon.

When they pull apart, Cia smiles at him, grabbing his hand.

"Come on," she says, "let's get out of here."

Johnny nods, looking a bit confused.

And with that, she grabs his hand and drags him out of the office.

Cia knows she still has some work to do, but she knows she can do that tomorrow morning. She'll text Mr. Moon on their way to the restaurant.

And again, she is _not_ proving anything here, especially not to Mike, because really? _Mike?_

No, she just wants to spend some time alone with her boyfriend.

If it happens to help Mike get a few things, that's fine with her, but it's not her goal.

Well, not primarily.


	3. Chapter 3

_Johnny_

"Is Piedro's okay?" Johnny asks as they climb his truck.

"Sure!" Cia replies. "I really could do with some tofu-pepperoni pizza right now."

Johnny lightly shakes his head. "I'll never understand how you can eat that stuff."

"Hey, I'm a predator!" Cia calls out. "We don't need meat any longer, but we still like the taste. Besides, I'll never understand how you can actually like pineapples on your pizza."

"You do eat fruits!"

"Yeah, but pineapples?" Cia shudders. "Ugh!"

Johnny laughs at that, then starts the car.

As he drives on, he remembers something.

"I thought you might have to work long hours today," he says.

Cia usually does when Mr. Moon asks her to help Ms. Crawly. So it's still somehow a surprise to Johnny that they left already. Actually, he was just visiting the office to tell Cia that he's done with rehearsals and ask when he should pick her up. And then they left in such a hurry.

"Yeah, but spending one minute longer with Mike could have gotten someone killed," Cia replies. "And by someone I mean Mike."

"What did he do this time?" Johnny chuckles.

"He was being a jerk."

"One of his charming character traits and no answer to my question," Johnny says. "So, what did he do?"

From the corner of his eye he sees Cia shake her head. "I'm not sure I want to repeat that because …" She shudders again. It makes Johnny frown.

"I'm texting Mr. Moon now," Cia goes on, "that I'll show up at the office extra-early tomorrow to get the documents for accounting done in time. If I tell him that Mike is waiting for him in the office he might get the hint."

"Probably."

The next few moments pass in silence as Cia types her text. Johnny, however, keeps thinking about what Mike could have said. He doesn't even have a clue, so after a while he stops thinking about it. Or so he tries.

* * *

As they wait for their order to get ready, he and Cia are standing around in the restaurant. Johnny's still trying to figure out what Mike could have said to make Cia toss him across the room. All he can think of is that Mike accidentally called her 'kitty'. But even Mike should have realized by now that that's a definite no-go.

After all, the story of Cia tossing Lance out on the street is still making its rounds in the theater.

He snaps out of his thoughts when he hears someone call Cia's name.

"Cia? Is that really you?"

He turns just in time to watch Cia face a male snow leopard.

"Marcus?" she calls out, and then the two hug. Johnny frowns.

"What are you doing here?" Cia asks, her voice so cheerful that Johnny decides he doesn't like that snow leopard at all. "I thought you'd never leave that small home town of ours! You even kept complaining during the week at college that it was too far away, and it was only a thirty minutes-drive."

The male snow leopard laughs, and Johnny detects some nervous ring to it.

"Well, things change," he says. "My fiancée got a job around here, so we moved to the big city."

"Fiancée?" Cia repeats, and Johnny just hates how all the cheerfulness is suddenly gone from her voice.

The other snow leopard lowers his eyes to the floor. "Yeah, never saw that one coming. It just happened."

"I see," Cia says.

Marcus lifts his gaze to look at her. "Y-you know you're awesome, right?"

"I do."

"Good." Marcus leans in to place a peck on Cia's cheek which she lets happen stoically while it makes Johnny tense up.

"Well, uhm, I better get back," Marcus says. "I just told her I'll go greet an old friend. Bye, Cia!"

"Bye, Marcus!"

Before Johnny can say anything, their pizzas are ready and they take the boxes and leave.

Johnny pretends not to see that Cia's craning her neck on their way out to look into the direction Marcus has walked away.

In fact, he has to fight the urge not to do the same.

* * *

The ride back to his apartment is rather quiet, but he doesn't even realize at first because he's so lost i thought. It somehow bothers him that Cia and that Marcus-guy seemed so familiar, and he somehow doesn't like it.

After a while he realizes that it's way too quiet in the car and he shoots Cia a side-glance.

His girlfriend is staring out of the window, a little frown wrinkling her forehead.

For a moment, he thinks of saying something, but then he doesn't know what, so he lets it pass and they spend the rest of the ride in some awkward silence.

* * *

As they settle at his small kitchen table to eat, they still haven't said anything, and Johnny's starting to feel really uncomfortable. He clears his throat.

"So, this Marcus-guy is … uhm ... " - he clears his throat again - "an old friend of yours?"

Cia jumps a little at his words.

"Y-yes. We went to college together," she replies. "And I'm really sorry, Johnny! I forgot to introduce you!"

"No, it's fine," he says. Really, it is. He could live the rest of his life without having to talk to that Marcus. "You were … close?"

He's usually not one to ask such questions, but something about how they acted around each other makes him want to know more. Makes him want to know the truth, actually.

"We were …" Cia breaks off mid-sentence, looking down at her pizza with that nasty tofu-pepperoni on it.

"Yes?"

Cia sighs. "Friends with benefits," she finally says.

"Oh."

He isn't sure if he should be happy about that or not. It does mean they haven't been in a relationship which somehow is a relief. But it also means they've done certain _things_ , and that's something he doesn't like.

"Yeah," Cia says, lowering her eyes even a little further.

She looks so utterly upset that Johnny wants to slap himself.

 _Damn it, Johnny! Your girlfriend is upset and you have nothing better to do than to think what_ exactly _she and that guy have been doing?! Idiot!_

"Cia, what's wrong?" he asks.

Cia doesn't look at him. "I'm not sure if I should tell you."

Johnny takes her hand. "If it makes you this upset, you should."

Cia raises her head to look at him.

With a sigh she lowers her eyes again.

"Well, that _thing_ between us has been going on for a few months," she begins. "The rules were pretty clear from the start. No love, just having fun, and when we were done, we'd go back to being normal friends again."

Johnny doesn't like what he's hearing, but he pushes it away. Instead, he just gives Cia's hand a gentle squeeze to encourage her to go on.

"It wasn't his fault that I developed feelings for him. And I really can't blame him that he ended things between us when he found out," she continues her story. "In fact, it was probably the right thing to do because he didn't return my feelings. It's just that … well, he said, he never wanted to be in a relationship, that he wanted to keep his freedom, that he just wasn't one to settle down. And hearing today that he's engaged now, it makes me question things. Did he lie to me? Did he just not want to be in a relationship with me? I know it's stupid and it shouldn't matter, but I can't stop thinking about it. I was so heartbroken back then, but at least I thought he was being honest with me, and now I don't know. And it's just … it's driving me nuts!"

Johnny's still trying to process what he's just heard, when Cia looks at him.

"And now I made you upset, too!" she calls out. "I'm a terrible girlfriend! Marcus had a point when he didn't want to be with me!" She jumps to her feet, wrenching her hand from his. "I should leave!"

He doesn't let her.

He's on his feet within the blink of an eye, bridging the space between them with one quick step before he wraps his arms around her and pulls her close. He presses his lips against hers and when she parts her lips, he lets his tongue glide into her mouth. He pulls her even closer and she wraps her arms around him tightly.

He only realizes they must have been moving when Cia bumps against the wall, but not even that makes him stop. On the contrary, he presses her body even more against hers.

He doesn't know why he does it. It's so unlike him to be that demanding. But he can't help himself.

He wants to show her how amazing she is, he doesn't want her to feel sad because some stupid guy couldn't see that, he wants to show her how much she means to him.

Yes, to him, and to him alone. Nothing else matters, only him and her.

And it does feel amazing.

But when Cia moans against his mouth, something clicks together in his brain, and he realizes what he's doing, what this could lead to, and it somehow scares him.

So he pulls away.

He does like the sigh that leaves Cia's mouth, though.

He looks at her as they're both trying to catch their breath. Cia takes a few more seconds to open her eyes and return his look.

He smiles at her.

"Come one," he says. "Pizza's getting cold."

She just nods.

He places a quick kiss on her lips before he leads her back to the table. He makes sure to keep a little distance between them, though. Just in case.


	4. Chapter 4

_Cia_

It takes Cia a while to wrap her head around what has just happened.

They've already settled down at the table again and started eating, but she's _still_ thinking about the kiss.

Because boy, what a kiss!

Her knees still feel weak and she's glad that she's sitting.

Johnny usually isn't that demanding, but it was good. Very good, to be honest, so very good!

She's still a bit disappointed that Johnny pulled away way too quickly for her taste, but she doesn't want to force him into anything.

And she can handle a bit disappointment.

What she can't handle is that they eat in silence.

They usually don't.

She can only assume that Johnny has a lot to think about.

But she'd prefer he'd talk to her about it.

And now that they've touched the tricky topic of former relationships - or something similar to them -, maybe they should talk about it a bit more. It is something they need to talk about one day anyway, so better get it over with.

Or so Cia tells herself.

"Is there...," - she clears her throat - "is there something else you want to know?" she asks. "About, you know, my past in that matter?"

Johnny looks at her for a moment, and she can see that he's shifting a bit in his seat.

"I … I guess," he says.

A few moments in silence pass because Cia waits for Johnny to speak up which he doesn't, so she takes a deep breath and takes charge.

"I told you that Marcus and I were friends with benefits," she begins. "I think it was the closest thing to a relationship I had before we got together. There was one other friend with benefits I had before Marcus but that was only a few weeks."

She can see how Johnny shrinks into himself, but she keeps going.

Johnny deserves the truth after all.

"And then there was one guy after Marcus, but I'm not sure if that qualifies as a friendship with benefits because yes, we've been friends for years, but the benefits-part only happened once because he was homesick and I was heartbroken and we somehow needed each other's company. Marcus was the only one I had feelings for, and well, you know the rest."

She doesn't know why that whole episode with Marcus still hurts her, but she feels the pang in her heart again.

She doesn't think she let it show, but somehow Johnny must have realized nonetheless because he asks, "He's hurt you a lot, hasn't he?"

"Yes, he has," she admits as she reaches out to take Johnny's hand. He tenses a bit at her touch, but he lets her have her way. It still startles her a bit, though, but she smiles at him nonetheless.

She gently rubs her thumb over the back of his hand.

"But it shouldn't matter now, should it?" She deepens her smile.

Johnny smiles back at her, shyly, though, but still. "I just don't want you to be upset."

"It's fine, I'll get over it."

"Okay," Johnny says. "I still don't like that Marcus went up to you just to rub it into your face that he's engaged now."

Cia frowns at that. Is that what it looked like to an outsider? She knows Marcus better than that.

"I don't think that was his intention," she says. Yes, Marcus has hurt her, but that doesn't mean she wants others to think of him wrongly. "I think he just wanted to greet me when he saw me and then it occurred to him that things have changed a lot. Thus his nervousness. He doesn't always think things through."

"Okay." Johnny nods.

She's relieved when he gives her hand a little squeeze. At least he seems to relax again.

Maybe that's the time she should ask her questions.

"So, now that the ex-files are on the table," she begins, "what about you?"

She feels Johnny tense up again, and she doesn't like it. But it's too late now. Or is it?

"You don't have to reply if you don't want to," she adds quickly.

"No, no, it's fine," Johnny replies. "It's only fair."

But then he lapses into silence again.

For a moment, Cia thinks of saying what has been on her mind all this time, but she decides against it and instead wants to give Johnny the time he needs to reply.

"Weeeeeeell," Johnny drawls, "you're my first relationship, too. As for … " - he clears his throat again - "as for friends with benefits and such, there … uhm … there haven't been any."

"I thought so," Cia says with a nod - and then she wants to slap herself.

Yes, it's one thing that she's been thinking exactly that, but to put it into words is a totally different thing.

And when she sees how Johnny lowers his eyes and rubs the back of his neck in a nervous gesture, the urge to slap herself only increases.

"That obvious, huh?" he says.

Cia bites down her lip. She doesn't know what to say, so she just gives Johnny's hand another squeeze.

It doesn't help. He keeps his eyes lowered.

"Well, it's just that I … uh … I was just … wondering, is all."

It doesn't sound right, but it's all she can manage to say.

"But what do I know?" she adds with a nervous laugh. "It's my first relationship."

Johnny looks up and smiles at her. It's a weak smile, but it's a start.

She rubs her thumb over the back of his hand again.

"That's something we have in common," she goes on. "And you know what?"

"What?" Johnny asks.

"I think for our first relationship, we're doing pretty well."

The smile Johnny gives her this time is warm and gentle and she can't help, but lean in and place her lips on his.

It's a gentle kiss, nothing compared to the kiss they shared before, but it still feels good.

Johnny, however, pulls away rather quickly.

It confuses Cia a little, but she doesn't let it show.

Instead, she gives Johnny's hand another squeeze before she lets go.


	5. Chapter 5

_Johnny_

Johnny is really looking forward to having lunch with Ash today. She's in for rehearsal, so Johnny asked her to have lunch together, and she agreed.

Because it was his idea, Johnny volunteered to get their sandwiches.

He received a text from Cia when he was out to buy lunch.

She was telling him that she was already on her way home because coming in extra-early today and working really hard to get the work done in time, she was exhausted and couldn't wait to take a nap.

He's still a bit surprised that she didn't ask him to drive her home, but he can only think that she wanted to get out of the office as quickly as possible. Or so he keeps telling himself. He just hopes it has nothing to do with what happened between them yesterday evening.

And he doesn't mean their talk because it was important, he gets that much.

What he keeps thinking about is that he was so demanding when he kissed her. Yes, he did think yesterday that she liked it, but what if he was mistaking? What if her moan, her sigh did _not_ mean that she liked it?

It's a good thing that his insecurity got the best of him, then, because it made him stop.

He still wants to slap himself for that.

Maybe he should apologize. Even if it means he has to talk about it - which he really doesn't like.

But he can think about that later. Now he's meeting Ash for lunch.

He grabs the bag containing their sandwiches and a few cans of soda and sets into motion to get Ash.

* * *

"So, what's on your mind, Johnny?" Ash asks.

They've settled down on the floor in one of the dressing rooms for their lunch. The dressing rooms are usually empty at this time of the day, so they should have their peace there.

"Why do you think there's something on my mind?" he asks back.

Ash takes another bite of her sandwich before she replies.

"Because you're quieter than usual," she replies. "And that's usually a sign something's bothering you."

Johnny twists his mouth a little. He isn't sure if he likes that both Cia and Ash can read him so easily. Cia knew that he has no experience when it comes to more than kissing before he even told her and Ash knows when something's bothering him although he's trying to hide it.

"Am I really that easy to read?" he asks.

Ash shrugs. "I've known you for quite a while now. So, mind telling me what's going on?"

Johnny sighs. He opens his mouth, about to tell Ash what's going on between him and Cia when in the very last second, he changes his mind.

Because he remembers something. There was another topic he needed to address.

"Well, since you have so much experience songwriting, I thought you could keep me some advice again," he says.

Ash laughs a little. "So much experience? Johnny, I only did one album!"

"Which is one more album than all the other people I know," he replies. "So?"

Ash shrugs again. "I thought I already helped you when I gave you some advice on that first song of yours."

"You did, you really did!" he says. "It's just that I am sort of stuck now."

"Oh, I know that feel!" Ash shudders a bit. "Glad that is over." She raises her eyes to look into his face. "How many songs did you get finished by now?"

"Uhm…" For a moment, Johnny thinks of making up a number just to be able to say more than one, but then again, it's Ash. And Ash is his friend. He wants to be honest with her.

"One," he finally says with a sigh.

"One!?" Ash repeats, and he doesn't miss the sound of disbelief in her voice. "You made it this far with _one_ song!? I mean, all your interviews and radio shows and … wow!"

Johnny gives a little nod.

"When I work on my next album you _have_ to tell me how you did that," Ash says.

"If you give me some advice now, it's a deal," he replies with a smile.

"Okay." Ash laughs. "Let me see. What exactly do you have problems with? The lyrics or the music? Or both?"

"Both," he admits. His brain is somehow blank when it comes to writing his own songs.

"But it did work when you used Cia's poem?" Ash asks.

"Yes," Johnny replies. "With Cia's poem it was so easy, I read the words and then, the melody was there, all of a sudden."

"So, why don't you ask Cia if she has any more poems you could use?" Ash asks. "Or if she could write some lyrics for you."

His eyes widen in surprise. He really hasn't thought of that. And there's a reason for that.

"But the label wants my own songs," he says.

"So? You could talk to them about it. Or even better, ask Mr. Moon to do that for you. He's good at this kind of stuff."

"Hmmmm, I guess that could work. Thanks, Ash!"

"Welcome!" Ash replies with a grin.

A few moments in silence pass in which they're both munching away on their sandwiches.

"So, how are things between you and Cia?" Ash asks all of a sudden, and it makes Johnny jump a little again.

"Good, good," he says quickly.

Ash raises a brow. "And now the truth, please."

"I'm not sure I like the fact that I'm that easy to read."

Ash replies with a shrug. "So?"

He sighs. "It's a bit weird at the moment," he admits. "We ran into her ex yesterday."

"Her ex?"

"Yes, her ex-friend with benefits." He pauses for a second. "Is that a word?"

"I guess," Ash replies. "If there are friends with benefits, there must be ex-friends with benefits."

"Okay."

A few more moments in silence pass, and it's only when Ash speaks up again that Johnny realizes that she was waiting for him to continue.

She gives a frustrated sigh. "And that's weird, because?"

He shrugs. "Because… I don't know. I'm still her first relationship. It's just … uh … he wasn't the only one and … " He breaks off.

"And what?"

He takes a deep breath. "She has all this experience, Ash, and I …" He breaks off again.

"And you don't?"

She puts it as a question, and Johnny is thankful for that, although he isn't sure if she hadn't that one figured out before as well.

"Yes," he replies.

"Well, Cia is a few years older than you and she was at college," Ash says. "And it bothers you that she has all this experience?"

"In a way, yes." He isn't sure if things would be a lot different if Cia didn't have all this experience, though. He'd still be nervous and insecure and a little scared on taking the next step.

"But it really shouldn't, Johnny," Ash says. "It's not that bad. Really, it isn't."

"If you say so."

"Mind telling me how far you two have taken it?"

He lowers his eyes. "Uhm, we've been making out a lot."

"And that's it?"

"And that's it."

A few moments pass and when Johnny looks up, he sees that Ash is frowning.

"What is it?" he asks.

"Well, I'm just wondering. You two have been dating for a while now."

He clears his throat. "It's just that … uhm … I don't know when to take the next step, you know." He lowers his voice. "And I'm a little scared."

"Oh, that's normal," Ash replies. "And that's why it isn't bad that Cia has some experience. She knows what to do."

"Okay. But how do I know when it's the right time?"

"When it feels right."

"And for Cia?"

"Oh, that one's easy."

"It is?"

"Yes, you ask."

"Really?"

"Really."

"But isn't that a bit … uhm … weird?"

"No, it isn't," Ash says. "Because no one expects you to _telepathically_ know when she's ready for that. So talk to her. Talking is important in a relationship. And I should know. Things between Lance and me would have been a lot different if we had talked more, if he'd actually said what was bothering him instead of expecting that I _wondrously_ knew. And I could have asked when I realized something was off. But I waited for him to tell me and he didn't and, well, you know how it all ended."

"And it works now?"

"It does, as surprising as that is," Ash replies. "Because we talk more now. I guess we just needed that break to grow up a little and figure things out."

"I'm happy for you, Ash."

Ash smiles at him. "And I'm happy for you," she says. "You and Cia are a cute couple."

"Thanks," he says.

"You're welcome," she says.

Then she cranes her neck to look over at the bag that had contained their sandwiches.

"Hey, there don't happen to be some candy bars in there?" she asks.

"No," Johnny replies, picking up the bag and shaking it out to show Ash that it's, in fact, empty.

"Oh." The disappointment is clearly audible in her voice.

Johnny bites down his lip to keep the grin from spreading on his face as he reaches into the pocket of his jacket and produces two candy bars.

"Because I have them here," he says, holding them out to Ash, and now he can't help, but laugh when Ash eyes widen.

"Oh, you!" she calls out, grabbing one candy bar before she boxes his upper arm.

It only makes him laugh harder.

Ash pouts for a moment before she joins him.


	6. Chapter 6

_Cia_

Having to be at the office that early to finish the documents for accounting really was hard, and in the morning, she really wished she would have gotten it all done the day before, but that couldn't be helped and so she got up, slowly and reluctantly, feeling like a zombie on her way to the office - and probably she looked like one, too - but she made it. Somehow.

Spending half the night tossing and turning and _thinking_ didn't help, though. Thinking about the talk Johnny and she had, the kiss they shared - yes, the _kiss!_ \- and then how Johnny was so endeavor to keep a little distance between them, how different the kisses after this one _kiss_ were, how Johnny made sure to keep them short and gentle, and how she still liked it, but was so hoping for more. But Johnny obviously wasn't willing to go there again - or maybe even a little further - and she understood, yes, she did. It'll be his first time, and of course, he is nervous. She knows she has been. And pushing him into doing something he isn't ready for yet is the last thing she wants to do. But what if he is ready for it and just doesn't know how to express it?

That's the moment when she always wants to bang her head against a wall because she's lost.

Well, at least she got a lot of work done before Ms. Crawly arrived. And then it only took her double the time to get her work done when Ms. Crawly decided to help her - usually, it's more than that - and they got all the work done in time.

And when all the stress was over, she was glad she could go home.

For a moment, she thought of asking Johnny to drive her home. Okay, for more than a moment.

But then she decided against it.

Things have been a bit weird between them after running into Marcus and their talk and the kiss - yes, the _kiss!_ \- and then the rest of their talk, but she just thinks that Johnny might want to keep a little distance now. At least the impression he gave her when he made sure to keep their kisses short afterwards.

Besides, he has rehearsals today and she doesn't want to disturb him.

Okay, maybe the main reason is that things are a little weird between them now. Just maybe, though.

She yawns when she unlocks the door of her apartment. Really, she can't wait to catch up on some sleep.

She slumps down on her couch and falls asleep almost immediately.

* * *

When she opens her eyes again, she's still tired and when she checks the clock, she realizes only half an hour has passed.

She rolls on her other side, trying to go back to sleep, but somehow, her brain seems to have recovered enough so that she can think again. Wonderful!

She rolls on her back and tries if she can fall asleep in that position.

She can't.

She lets out a groan and grabs her phone.

* * *

When Ash answers the door that evening, Cia frowns when after a short greeting, the porcupine looks around her and checks the street.

"Uhm, are you okay?" Cia asks.

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Ash replies, still checking the street.

"Ash?" Cia asks again.

The porcupine jumps a little. "Sorry! Please, come in!"

And with that she steps aside and lets her inside.

Ash leads her to the living room and when they've settled down on the couch, Cia has to ask.

"What was that back there?" she asks with a nod towards the front door.

"Me being paranoid," Ash replies with a little laugh, and Cia raises a brow.

"Sorry," Ash says, "it's just I thought Rosita might want to do one of her interventions again and used you as bait."

"Ooooookay." Cia twists her mouth at that.

"Not that I mean that in a bad way or-or ascribe that you would Rosita let you use as bait, although…"

"Ash," Cia interrupts that. "I think Rosita has finally calmed down. Or so Johnny told me. Or is she still bothering you?"

"Now that you mention it, no, she's not." Ash sighs. "Is it really that hard to understand that Lance and I willingly decided to give us another chance?"

"Not to me, but I haven't been around when you two broke up," Cia replies. "I just saw him bothering you and stepped in."

"And threw him out of the theater. Literally." Ash chuckles at that. "Still makes me crack up. And I do think your reaction was some sort of a reality check Lance needed. Because the next time I saw him he explained things to me and apologized. I guess I would have never talked to him again. And I had no intention on getting back together, really, I had not. It just happened. We were spending some time together and then a little more and more and we were talking a lot, and I don't know, at some point we kissed, and it felt right. And I know what made him do the things he did. And now that we keep work and relationship separated, I think it's going to work. It has worked so far, so I'm confident. Our relationship is different now, we've both grown up somehow, and I don't know, it just works this time."

"And that's fine, Ash," Cia says. "You don't need to justify yourself. Not to me, at least."

Ash sighs. "I know. It's just, I don't think anyone gets it."

"We don't have to," Cia replies. "As your friends, we just have to accept it. I know Johnny does. And I do, too."

"And Rosita?"

"Rosita is just being overprotective. She'll get used to it."

"I hope so!"

"Maybe tell her what you told me?"

"I don't get a chance to do that! Whenever I try she starts giving me one of her speeches!"

"Then insist on it. Or do you want to me to literally throw _her_ out of the theater? For reality check-reasons?"

"No, no, I'm sure I can handle this one by myself!" Ash calls out. "Besides, she'd never forgive you."

"And if I make Norman catch her?"

Ash nods her head a little. "That might work, but still no."

Cia shrugs. "You know where to find me when you change your mind."

"Sure thing!"

A few moments in silence pass, but Cia only realizes that when Ash speaks.

"Soooooo, do you want to talk about something in particular or are we just having a girls' night out or rather _in_? Lance has a gig tonight, so we have all night."

"Well, uhm…" Suddenly, Cia isn't so sure if talking to Ash is actually a good idea. Yes, she considers Ash a friend, but not a close friend, not yet, and yes, Ash knows Johnny for so much longer than she does and Johnny sees Ash as one of his best friends, but still, is that enough to justify talking to her about _that?_

On the other hand, what other options does she have?

"Cia?" Ash asks.

"Well, it's about Johnny," Cia begins. "And me, of course. Things have been a little … weird."

"Okay," Ash says. "Go on."

Is it just her or has there really been a little smile on Ash's lips for a second?

"We've been dating for a while now, but … uhm … we haven't done anything more than kissing yet, and now I'm not sure. Isn't he interested in going any further or is he just insecure because …" She breaks off. She probably shouldn't give away that piece of information, no matter how good friends Ash and Johnny are.

"Because he hasn't done it before?" Ash suggests.

"Yes," Cia says, somehow relieved that Ash already knows. "I-I just don't know what to do. How do I know when he's ready? Or if he'll ever be ready?"

To her surprise, Ash bursts into laughter.

Cia blinks a few times at that.

"S … sorry!" Ash says between laughs. "It's just that … Gi-give me a second please."

"Okay," Cia says, twisting her mouth.

When Ash has finally calmed down, it takes her a few moments to catch her breath.

"I'm sorry, Cia," she says. "I didn't mean to laugh. And I am not making fun of you, I swear! It's just that Johnny and I had lunch together today, and he was asking almost the same questions."

"He was?" Cia asks.

"Yes," Ash confirms. "And now that I think of it, I probably shouldn't have told you, but you two are just too cute! So in love and so confused!"

She gives Cia a warm smile which the snow leopard returns shyly.

"So what do you suggest?" Cia asks.

"Well, you can always ask when you aren't sure, in fact, you should," Ash replies. "And I think it's important to tell Johnny that he can always change his mind, that you can stop at any point. I think if he knows that he always has a way out if needed will give him a little more confidence."

Cia has to admit, she never thought she'd have to tell Johnny that. It was so clear to her that she'll always respect his wishes that she didn't even think she has to tell him so. Yet again, it's Johnny's first relationship - hers too - and it'll be his first time - if they ever get there - so it makes sense.

"Okay, I'll do that," she says. "Thanks, Ash!"

"You're welcome!"

This time, Cia can return Ash's smile just as warmly.

But suddenly, Ash slaps her hand against her forehead.

"Oh boy, I'm a terrible host! I didn't even offer you something to drink!" She jumps to her feet. "So what do you want, Cia? Tea? Coffee? Soda?"

Cia thinks for a second. "Do you have beer?"

Ash's mouth twists into a smirk. "Sure do!"


	7. Chapter 7

_Johnny_

When Johnny's phone rings at around ten in the night, he jumps a little. His first thought is that something might have happened to his father, so with a mixture of anxiousness and fear, he grabs his phone.

He lets out a sigh of relief when he checks the caller ID and realizes it's Ash.

"Hi there, Ash!" he greets the porcupine happily, until he gets that she could call at that hour because something has happened to _her_ , so he immediately regrets his happy tone, so he quickly adds, "Are you alright?"

" _Yeah, yeah, I'm fine,"_ Ash replies. " _Sorry for calling you this late, it's just that … uhm … see, the problem is, Cia came over and we drank some beer, she more than I did and now she's, well, drinky. She insists she can still go home on her own, but I highly doubt it. So could you give me her address so I can call her a cab?"_

"No, it's fine, I'll come get her," he says.

" _Thank you, Johnny!"_ Ash replies. " _See you in a bit!"_

"Bye, Ash!"

* * *

When Johnny drives up in front of Ash's apartment building, he isn't sure if he should laugh or frown at the sight he's getting.

There's Cia, a bit wobbly on her feet, trying really hard to walk away, but Ash has grabbed her tail and clings to it.

The words he's hearing don't make things any easier.

"I swear, Ash, my apartment lies in that direction!" Cia says.

"You said that two minutes ago for the other direction!" Ash replies. "And now wait, please, Johnny should be here any minute!"

"But I wanna go _now!_ "

Johnny shakes his head a little as he climbs out of his truck. Also, he can't help, but smile at the scene.

"Hi, you two!" he greets the girls as he walks up to them, adding a little wave when they turn to look at him.

"Johnny!" Ash calls out and it's hard to miss the ring of relief in her voice. "Cia, look, Johnny's here!"

"Johnny!" Cia calls out, spreading her arms and walking up to him. Ash quickly lets go of her tail, and as much as she sounded relieved before she _looks_ just as relieved now.

"Ash says I can't go home alone," Cia whines as she wraps her arms around his neck.

"Ash has a point," Johnny replies.

Cia leans back a little and looks at him with her mouth twisted. "Not you, too."

Johnny just shrugs.

"Okay, okay, bring me home, then!" she calls out, letting go of him and walks up to the truck.

"Thank you, Ash!" Johnny says quickly before he joins Cia, making sure to walk close to her in case she needs some support.

He opens the passenger door for her and Cia climbs inside, a bit slower than usual, but she doesn't need help at least.

When Johnny is settled in the driver's seat, he says, "If you're feeling sick or anything, just tell me, okay? I'll pull over immediately."

Cia rolls her eyes. "I had a little too much beer! I am not that drunk!"

"If you say so," Johnny says with a little shrug before he starts the car.

* * *

Okay, he has to admit, Cia doesn't make him stop once on their ride to her apartment, and yes, she doesn't look sick at all, but as soon as he parks the car, things get a little difficult anyway.

"Here we are!" he says, and suddenly he feels a bit nervous. He doesn't like the look Cia's giving him.

"You know how much you mean to me, right?" she asks, and her serious tone only adds to his nervousness.

"I guess I do," he says. "You mean a lot to me, too."

"Then why …" She breaks off, biting down her lip. "Then why don't you … I mean why …"

She breaks off again, but only to wrap her arms around his neck again, pulling him closer and pressing her mouth to his.

For a moment, he's surprised and thinks of pulling away, but her lips just feel too good, and before he even realizes he's parting his lips and responding to her kiss.

But when she pulls him even closer and her tongue is exploring his mouth a little more demandingly, he decides to put an end to this. That's just not something you should do when your girlfriend is drunk, however little she insists said status of drunk is.

It takes him all his self-control, but he manages to pull away.

Cia looks at him with surprised eyes.

"We shouldn't…," he starts, breaking off and clearing his throat.

Instead of a reply, Cia starts to climb out of the truck.

Because of the state she's in he has enough time to get of the car himself and wait for her on the sidewalk.

She looks a little wobblier on her feet as she walks up to her apartment building, so Johnny wraps an arm around her hips. Cia does the same and when he looks at her, she tries to kiss him again, but he manages to turn away.

From the corner of his eye he can see that Cia twists her mouth.

They somehow make it to Cia's apartment without any further incidents, but once they're inside, Cia pulls him into another kiss. Again, it costs him all his self-control to pull away.

"You should go to bed," he says.

"Yeah," she agrees with a grin. "Bed is good."

And she sets into motion towards her bedroom, but she keeps on arm around him.

And maybe he should make sure she's alright, anyway, so he goes with her.

It feels weird, and that as soon as she climbs into her bed she tries to pull him with her, does _not_ help.

"Cia, you really should sleep now," he says, untangling her arms from around his neck, only to have it to do again because as soon as he's managed to peel one of her hands off, her other is back in place.

"But I'm not tired!" she complains.

"Yes, you are," he replies. "I'll sleep on the couch, so if you need me."

"But I need you now!"

He must say, this somehow sends a pleasant shiver down his spine.

"You need to sleep."

"Bed's big enough for two."

"As I said, I'll be on the couch."

"Don't you want me?" she asks, and her voice sounds hurt, just as hurt as her face looks.

It sends a pang to his heart.

He doesn't know what would be the best reply to that, so he settles for the truth.

"I do, and you have no idea how much," he says. "But not like this, not when you're not quite yourself."

Her eyes widen in surprise. "Okay," she whispers.

"Good night, Cia!"

"Good night, Johnny!"

As he lies down on the couch he keeps listening for any sign that she might need help or is getting up again, but there isn't any.

So after a few minutes he closes his eyes and falls asleep almost immediately.

* * *

The next morning, Johnny wakes to some noise coming from the kitchen. He gets up, stretches a bit and shuffles over to the kitchen, peeking inside.

Cia's making coffee. She's wearing some sweat pants and a shirt, not the clothes she's been wearing the night before.

She must have sensed him somehow because she turns to look at him.

"Good morning!" she says, quickly turning away again. "I'm making breakfast. Toast and coffee are fine?"

"Yes, totally," he says. "And good morning to you, too!"

While she's finishing getting their breakfast ready, Johnny can't help, but notice that she's avoiding his eyes.

When she finally settles down after placing a plate with toast and two cups of coffee on the table, she still keeps her eyes peeled to that table.

She sighs. "Look, Johnny, I'm sorry for yesterday," she finally says.

"Cia, it's fine," he replies, taking a sip of his coffee. "I was happy to help."

But Cia acts as if she hadn't heard.

She squeezes her eyes shut, raising her hand to her forehead to press her thumb between her eyes.

"A-and I have to ask this," she says a bit hectically. "I mean I do think I remember everything, and I woke still wearing my clothes, but did I," - she clears her throat - "did I do something stupid last night?"

"No, you didn't."

"Did I _try_ to do something stupid?"

"Only a few times."

She flinches a bit at his words. "Then I remembered that right," she says, as she puts her hand away and opens her eyes to look at him. "Johnny, I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay," he says, taking her hand and smiling at her warmly. "No damage done."

"Yeah, no thanks to me!" she says with a roll of her eyes, and it makes him laugh.

They look at each other for a moment.

"I remember what you said about wanting me," Cia says, her voice barely more than a whisper.

He clears his throat, avoiding her eyes this time. "Yeah, uhm, _that_ …" He clears throat again. "It-it's the truth."

Cia gives his hand a little squeeze. "I know. And I want to tell you this: You can always tell me to stop, at any point, no matter what. Okay?"

He looks into her eyes. "Okay."

They look into each other's eyes for a little longer before Johnny leans forward and they kiss, gently and slowly, and when they pull away, it's still too soon for Johnny's taste. But a look at the watch reminds him that he should be on his way soon anyway. He has rehearsals coming up.

But he somehow can't. He leans in for another kiss, a bit more passionate this time, and when he pulls away this time, it costs him a lot more self-control then it did the night before.

"Do I smell pineapples?" he asks, on one hand to say something to calm himself down and on the other hand because he really does smell pineapples.

"Oh, yeah, new shower gel," Cia replies.

"But you hate pineapples!"

"And you love them."

He looks at her, takes in every detail of her face, and it makes his heart pound in his chest.

"I l-like it," he says, glad that he managed to catch his tongue just in time before the words that really were on his mind would have left his mouth. It's too soon for them. "The shower gel, I mean."

Cia smiles at him. "Thanks!"

He feels the urge to pull her into another kiss. Then he remembers the time, so instead, he just takes another sip of his coffee.


	8. Chapter 8

_Cia_

After Johnny has left for rehearsals, Cia spends most of the morning recalling the events of the night before - and wanting to slap herself for what she's done. Or tried to do.

Really, hassling Johnny like that? _Johnny!?_ What was she thinking, for Pete's sake!?

She slaps her hand against her forehead, making a mental note that she'd stay away from beer - or any alcohol, for that matter - for a while.

Too risky.

She still doesn't get why Johnny didn't run off. She would have understood. Instead, he stayed at her apartment and slept on the couch. She could kiss him for that. She probably should.

And then she remembers their kisses this morning, the gentle one, the more passionate one, and then the look on Johnny's face when she told him about her pineapples-shower gel. There was so much warmth in his eyes, so much love, and it took her all she had got to not fling herself at him right there.

But the way he had broken their kiss made her stop herself just in time.

Luckily.

After trying to get him into her bed so often last night, that for sure would have scared him off for good. Or so she thinks.

She glances at the watch.

Great! Hours have passed, hours she should have spent working on that new show for Mr. Moon, and instead she spent them thinking about last night and this morning and Johnny - Johnny, most of all - and now she has another reason to want to slap herself.

She decides against it, takes a deep breath and starts her laptop to at least type down a few ideas. That's better than nothing.

Around noon she receives a text from Johnny asking if he could come over for dinner tonight and that he'd bring pizza.

Thinking that Johnny still wants to meet with her and doesn't shy off to keep her at a distance for a few days somehow relieves her.

 _\- If you don't mind bringing me pizza with some nasty tofu-pepperoni, I'm in._

 _\- If you don't mind that I'll be eating pizza with pineapples, it's a deal._

 _\- It's a deal, then. See you tonight! XX Cia_

 _\- Great! XX Johnny_

First, she hasn't been sure about the XX-part, but then decided to write it, and now that Johnny replied the same way, she's glad.

And somehow, knowing that Johnny is going to come over tonight, makes her feel excited.

She did what Ash suggested. She did tell him that he can always stop. She can only hope that it would give enough confidence to go a little further. Or all the way. She wouldn't mind at all.

With a smile she turns back to her laptop, and her smile immediately disappears and is replaced by a twisted mouth.

The document is still blank.

* * *

Around the time Johnny's supposed to arrive, Cia is nervous and excited at the same time. And that's unlike her. Yes, she always get this feeling of excitement when they meet, but today, it's different. There's this prickle on her skin she can't quite place.

She jumps when the bell rings and she rushes to buzz Johnny in.

She waits for him in the open door and greets him with a smile and a quick gentle kiss.

She notices, though, that the pizza boxes he's carrying are from _Leonardo's_ , not _Piedro's_.

Well, she can't blame him for that.

 _Piedro's_ is probably off from their restaurant-list for a while now anyway.

Although there's as high a chance of running into Marcus at _Piedro's_ as it is anywhere else.

But she's fine with it, she decides, although she really liked the pizza at _Piedro's_ , but hopefully, _Leonardo's_ is just as good.

She feels Johnny's eyes on her a little more searchingly as she takes the pizza boxes from him. She doesn't say anything about the change of restaurant, and it seems to her that Johnny's eyes soften again.

They settle down in her little kitchen.

"How was your day?" Cia asks.

Johnny shrugs. "The usual. Rehearsals. But I had a meeting with Mr. Moon after rehearsals."

"Oh?" That's a bit weird. Johnny sees Mr. Moon everyday, they talk everyday, why would he need a meeting?

"Yes, and there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Okay," she says, and she isn't sure if she should be worried or not.

"See, I am working on my first album, as you know, and well," - he clears his throat - "I'm having a few problems with the lyrics. Something that wasn't a problem when I used your poem, so I asked Mr. Moon if he could help me convince the label to get you as a professional writer."

Cia's eyes widen. "What? You want _me_ to write the lyrics for your album?"

"Or use some of your poems." Suddenly, Johnny's voice sounds so nervous again. "If-if that's fine for you."

"Are you kidding me?" Cia calls out. "That's fantastic! I'm in!"

"Really?" All of a sudden, Johnny pulls her into a hug and presses his mouth to hers. She barely has time to react before Johnny pulls away again.

"That's so awesome!" he goes on. "Then Mr. Moon can talk to the label tomorrow. This is great!"

He gives a relieved laugh and Cia smiles at him.

She waits if he'll lean in for another kiss, but he doesn't, so she takes a slice of her pizza and starts eating. And she has to admit, _Leonardo's_ pizza is just as good as _Piedro's_ , maybe even a little better.

* * *

Later that evening, they are both settled on her couch, watching some TV.

It reminds Cia that Johnny spent the night sleeping on this couch.

It makes her bite down her lip for a moment.

"I hope you didn't go to too much trouble sleeping here," she says. "You were fast asleep when I went to the bathroom, even after I made my way to the kitchen after my shower."

"No, it's fine," Johnny says, avoiding her eyes. "This couch is pretty comfortable." He taps the couch to emphasize his words.

"Really? No pain in your neck or anything?"

"Nope," he says.

Cia takes a deep breath before she gently places her hand on the back of his neck.

"Let me see," she says, stroking the back of his neck, and when Johnny turns his head to look at her, she leans in closer, almost touching his lips with hers. But she leaves it to him to let this lead to a kiss or not.

She can feel Johnny's breath on her face, and her heart starts pounding in her chest. But she sticks to her plan to leave it to him. And when she thinks that this maybe was a bad idea, Johnny bridges that little distance that's left between their mouths and kisses her gently.

She responds just as gently, but quickly longs for more. She adds a little more pressure to her mouth, and when Johnny doesn't pull away, even a little more. And when Johnny wraps his arms around her body she moves even closer to him, pressing her body against his, placing her hands on his shoulders in the process.

Their kiss gets deeper, more demanding, and Cia feels her heartbeat speed up even more as their tongues continue their passionate dance.

At some point Johnny lowers his back to the couch, pulling her with and on top of him, and Cia's heart stops for a little moment, only to pound even faster afterwards.

They only stop for a moment, quickly taking a few breaths before going back to kissing.

She doesn't know how long they keep this up, but when she realizes she wants to go for a little more, she lets her hand slide from his shoulder down his chest and to the hem of his shirt.

It's the moment Johnny tenses up. She pauses for a moment, breaking their kiss and looking into his eyes.

"C-can we stop here?" Johnny asks, still trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah, sure," she replies and sits up almost immediately.

She shifts a bit away to get some distance between them and Johnny sits up, too.

He looks at her for a moment, then lowers his eyes.

He sighs. "And now you're disappointed," he says.

His words, the miserable look on his face, all this sends a pang to her heart.

"Johnny, look at me," she says gently.

He does so, reluctantly, though, but he does.

"Not gonna lie, yes, I am disappointed," she says. "But I'd rather be disappointed then make you do something you aren't ready for yet, okay?"

"Okay," Johnny replies, smiling a little at her.

She returns the smile.

They both turn back to the TV, and Johnny carefully wraps an arm around her shoulders.

With a smile Cia lets her head sink on his shoulder.

She must say, as much as she would have loved to go a little further tonight, cuddling in front of the TV is nice, too. Granted, it's not hot and breathtaking, but it's warm and cozy.

And she likes warm and cozy, too.


	9. Chapter 9

_Not so long ago, I posted the first chapter of this story, and now, we're already 9 chapters in! ^^ I never expected this story to get much feedback because it's an OC-story. Now imagine my surprise when I actually received reviews for this story. I want to thank all my lovelly readers for that! You're amazing! You have no idea how much this means to me. If you want to know more about this story or just want to talk, don't hesitate to message me. Also, reviews are always welcome. Now have fun with chapter 9 of "Lessons in Love"! ^^_

* * *

 _Johnny_

The next morning Johnny is on his way to the youth center which is pretty much still a garage. With all the rehearsals it has been hard to keep up with the work at the garage to finally turn it into a youth center.

After the charity concert and all his interviews donations keep pouring in, but Johnny tries to save as much money as possible. He wants to hire at least two youth workers for the center, so he tries to keep the expenses at a minimum. So this means that he still is doing most of the work himself. He and his theater friends, that is. Hardly a day passes without at least one of them showing up and helping. And if he isn't around for one or two days because rehearsals don't allow it, they at least send him texts of what they've done that day.

He can't thank them enough.

As he walks up to the building he runs into Gunter.

"Good morning, Gunter!" he greets the pig.

"Good morning, Johnny!" Gunter replies in his usual cheerful tone. "I was, like, working on the dance floor and it's almost finished so we can start dancing classes soon, no?"

"After the official opening of the youth center, sure," Johnny replies.

That's another thing Johnny loves his theater friends for. All of them volunteered to do something on a voluntary basis. For Gunter it's dancing lessons which isn't that much of a surprise. Rosita wants to do some do-it-yourself-workshops, Ash guitar lessons, Meena singing lessons. Cia said she wants to do some workshops on creative writing, and Mr. Moon wants to contribute some acting lessons.

Mike, however, said he'd do _something_ , but so far, hasn't breathed a word on what this _something_ might be. If it involves playing cards, Johnny might have to put an end to it before it has started.

Johnny himself isn't sure of what to contribute himself. He thought of piano lessons or singing lessons, but now he thinks that maybe something else would be more helpful. They have a high amount of creative things being taught already, but no sports. So maybe he'd do boxing lessons. That should work.

"I have to wait zhis long?" Gunter says, making Johnny snap out of his thoughts. "But zhis will be weeks! I want to do dancing performance for the grand opening!"

"Do you have any dancers yet?"

"Hmmmmmm." Gunter bites down his lip. "I can do it alone. I'm a good dancer."

"That, you are," Johnny admits.

"Oh, I got it!" Gunter calls out so loudly, he makes Johnny jump a little. "I can do it with Rosita's kids!"

Johnny isn't so sure if he really wants twenty-five piglets running around at the youth center yet when there's still so much under construction. On the other hand, Gunter would keep them busy. Hopefully.

He shrugs. "Talk to Rosita about that. I'm fine with it."

"Ja!" Gunter calls out with a little laugh.

"Oh, and speaking of Rosita, is everything ready for her birthday party at the theater tomorrow?"

Gunter nods his head eagerly. "Meena bakes a cake, Mr. Moon sets everything up for the big surprise party, and I have my present already."

"What did you get her?"

"A new dress!" Gunter replies. "Wait, I have it here." And with that he dives into the duffel bag he's always carrying around producing the shortest golden rhinestone dress Johnny has ever seen.

He forces his mouth into a smile. "Rosita's going to love it."

"I know. It's, like, totally her style, no?"

Johnny forces the corners of his mouth up a little further. Honestly, he's never seen Rosita wearing something this revealing off-stage, but Gunter is so happy with his present, he can't ruin that for him.

"Totally," he agrees.

Gunter nods before he puts the dress back into his duffel bag.

"Gotta go," he calls out. "Bye, Johnny!"

"Bye, Gunter!"

As Johnny steps into the garage, he makes a mental note that he needs to spend more time working here. There's still so much that needs to be done, and Rosita and Gunter only have until the end of the year before their tour starts.

And he really wants Gunter to be able to give his beloved dancing lessons.

* * *

He spends so much time working at the garage that it's past midnight when he's finally on his way home.

He and Cia have been texting a bit, he even asked her to come to the garage, but she had too much work to do with the new play. And he understands, of course. After all, he wants her to write the lyrics for his album which means the more work she gets done on the play now, the more time she has to work on the lyrics.

Or so he tries to tell himself because, to be honest, he would have preferred her to come over.

The evening they spent together has been so amazing. Really, he thought they could go a little further, because it felt so right when they kissed, it felt so right to feel her body on top of him, it felt so right to have her this close. Until suddenly, it didn't anymore.

He has no idea why but he started to feel uneasy, just too overwhelmed, maybe, and so he asked her to stop.

And she did. He felt bad by the disappointed look on her face, but what she said then, it made him fall in love with her even more. If that's possible.

Somehow, knowing that he can really stop her at any point makes him feel securer. Not that he ever had any doubt that she _wouldn't_ stop. Just actually seeing her do it, makes him want to try it again soon.

But not tonight, that's for sure.

He sighs as he puts his hands into the pockets of his jackets and walks on.

* * *

"So, this is from Cia and me," Johnny says as he hands Rosita an envelope.

"Aw, thank you!" Rosita says as she opens it. Her eyes widen. "A voucher for babysitting? I could really need this! Norman invited me to a candlelight dinner in this super-romantic restaurant."

Johnny can't help, but share a look with Cia.

"But you already knew that, right?" Rosita says.

Johnny shrugs. "Norman might have told us about it."

Rosita laughs a little at that.

"You are wearing my dress, no?" Gunter cuts in. "It's, like, totally perfect!"

"Y-yes, sure!" Rosita replies, and Johnny doesn't miss the slightly panicked undertone.

He has to admit when she unwrapped Gunter's gift, she seemed very happy with it. But maybe she was thinking she'd wear it on stage.

With a chuckle he goes over to the cake which looks amazing. If Meena ever gives up on singing - which he can't imagine her do ever - she should consider a career in baking. She'd be just as successful. Cia follows him.

He takes a cake slice, gives one to Cia and when he turns around he sees that it's Ash's turn to give Rosita her gift. It makes him feel a bit uncomfortable. He remembers the talk he and Ash had this morning all too well. Ash was complaining that she can't bring Lance to the party because it would probably make Rosita have a fit. And how bad she felt about it because Lance would have loved to join them because this is about her friends, not work - well, not primarily - so Lance could have come and still stayed true to their agreement of keeping their relationship and work separated.

And all he could tell Ash was that she needs to give Rosita a little more time. But deep down inside, he just wishes the two would finally get along again. It's Ash's decision with whom she wants to be, and if she says that Lance has changed and that she trusts him again, that's all Johnny needs to know.

Ash hands Rosita her gift, Rosita takes it with a smile.

"Where's Lance?" Rosita asks. "I thought you'd bring him."

Ash flinches at that, and so does Johnny.

"What?" Ash asks, something Johnny would have said, too, if he hadn't been able to catch his tongue just in time.

Rosita shrugs. "I would have loved to talk to him," she goes on. "And find out what kind of guy he is for myself."

"Is this … a trick?" Again, Ash says the words that are on Johnny's mind.

"No trick," Rosita says. "Just sincere interest."

"Well, I can call him," Ash says.

"Do that!" Rosita assures her.

When Ash walks away to make that call, Johnny isn't sure how to feel about this.

* * *

Well, there was no need to be afraid, he finds out when Lance finally shows up. Rosita doesn't pull a fit, Rosita doesn't attack him, Rosita just talks to him.

Maybe she overdoes it a little because from the distance, it looks a bit like an interrogation, but it could be worse.

Johnny releases the breath he's been holding in a sigh.

He turns his head and looks at Cia who smiles at him.

Her hand brushes against his for a split-second, and she gives the tiniest nod in the direction away from the group.

Johnny knows the signs and smiles at her.

Moments later, they are in one of the dressing rooms, and as soon as the door is closed behind them, Johnny wraps his arms around Cia and pulls her into a kiss.

She seems a little startled because it takes her a little time to respond, but when she does, Johnny pulls her even closer.

He's only been that demanding once before, but he can't hold back now. He wants to know how far they can go before his insecurity gets the best of him.

He doesn't realize they've been moving until Cia bumps against the wall with her back. He pulls away to say sorry, but Cia doesn't give him a chance, just presses her mouth to his again, kissing him so passionately that he must pull away soon again because the way they kiss is taking his breath away. But then he decides that oxygen is overrated.

Okay, he has to pull away a little while later anyway because the thing with oxygen is that as much as he _thinks_ it's overrated, it actually isn't.

Cia and he look into each other's eyes as they're taking a few quick breaths before they go back to their passionate kissing.

When Cia moves her hand to the hem of his shirt this time he expects that it wouldn't feel right, but it does, so Cia lets her hand slide under his shirt. And it still feels right.

In response, he presses his body even more against hers, and Cia moans into his mouth. It only makes him long for more.

So maybe this is it, the time when it finally feels right, the time when he doesn't want to stop.

Heck, he _doesn't_ want to stop!

That moment, the light in the dressing room flickers to life, and Cia and he pull away to look at each other with wide eyes.

Johnny reluctantly turns to look who's interrupting them and finds Mr. Moon standing in the open door, his eyes just as wide.

"Oh my gosh, you guys!" the koala calls out. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, really sorry." He laughs nervously. "Did-did I say I'm sorry? Well, I can do whatever I wanted to do here tomorrow. S-sorry!"

And then the lights go off again and the door shuts closed, but when Johnny turns back to Cia, it doesn't feel quite right anymore. This is a dressing room after all, and it's Rosita's birthday party, and really, what was he _thinking!?_

He clears his throat and lets go of his girlfriend. "M-maybe we should go back to the party."

Cia just nods and sets into motion.

Johnny wants to follow her, but looks down his body just in time.

"Johnny?" Cia asks from the door.

"Uhm, I might need a little more time," he manages to say.

Cia raises a brow, but then nods.

"Want me to wait with you?" she asks.

"N-no, it's fine!" he says quickly. He really can't imagine how he's supposed to calm down when she's still there with him. "Just go ahead."

"Okay," she says and leaves.

Johnny leans his forehead against the wall, waiting for his body to finally calm down.

It could take a while, though.


	10. Chapter 10

_Cia_

On her way back to the party Cia has to stop for a moment. She leans her forehead against a wall and takes a few deep breaths. Because just like Johnny, she needs to calm down first.

The good thing is it doesn't really _show_ , but Cia still wants to have her heartbeat at a normal rate before she joins the others again.

Is it just her or have they really gotten closer to actually doing it than ever before?

She doesn't know if she should be angry with Mr. Moon or not. Sure, he interrupted them and Johnny finally felt to be fine with doing a bit more than just making out, but on the other hand, doing it back there in a dressing room? That doesn't seem right for Johnny's first time.

He deserves better.

But still, that has been so very hot! Cia can still feel Johnny's lips on hers, his tongue roaming her mouth, his body pressing against her.

And she would lie if she said she wouldn't have _loved_ to go further.

She realizes that maybe, just maybe she asked Johnny to wait with him because she had hoped that they'd pick up where Mr. Moon had stopped them.

But no, it wouldn't have been right. Really, it's for the better that they've been interrupted.

So Cia decides that she's just a little angry with Mr. Moon.

She takes one more deep breath, finds her heart rate has reached a level that's as close to normal as she'll get right now and sets into motion again.

She doesn't like the dirty smirk Mike gives her when she enters the room again. She doesn't like that he whispers something into Nancy's ear and the other mouse turns around and looks at her with a smirk as well.

It makes the anger rise in her chest, but she fights it down. She doesn't want a repetition of the last time Mike made her angry. Okay, she doesn't want a repetition at Rosita's birthday party.

Mike's lucky, but just to make sure she doesn't throw him across the room out of anger, she turns to Ash.

Okay, she doesn't like the smirk Ash gives her either, but at least it doesn't make her angry.

"Where's Johnny?" Ash asks, and Cia can't miss the amused undertone.

She shrugs. "He'll be right back."

Ash chuckles.

"What?" Cia asks.

"Sorry, but Mr. Moon just came back with a frown on his face and his eyes glued to the floor, and everyone who's around here more often _knows_ that those are the signs that he walked in on you and Johnny making out again. Or am I wrong?"

Cia sighs. "No, you're not. Just don't make a big deal out of it."

"Won't," Ash replies. "Under one condition."

"And what could that be?" Cia asks.

"Details!" Ash replies. "Sooooo, reached a new milestone?"

"Maybe." Then it suddenly hits her. "How do you know?"

"Because _usually_ you two come back together, holding hands. I'm just putting two and two together."

"You know, Ash, sometimes you're smarter than is good for you."

Now it's Ash's turn to shrug. "I get that a lot."

Cia laughs a little at that, feeling a bit of the tension and the anger melt away.

"What did I miss around here?" she asks the porcupine.

Ash nods towards Rosita who's still interrogating Lance.

"That Rosita is probably going to know more about Lance at the end of this party than I _ever_ want to know," she laughs. "Decided to go get myself some champagne. You should have seen Lance' face when I told them I'd leave him and Rosita alone for a bit."

She chuckles, and Cia joins her. "Now I'm _actually_ sorry I missed that."

"Look at him know, multiply that by ten and you might get an idea," Ash says.

Cia tries that and it almost makes her burst into laughter. Lance has such a tortured look on his face already!

"You like to tease him a lot, huh?" she asks the female porcupine.

"Yeah," Ash admits. "He's been a jerk and he still has some things to make up for. And he knows it. I guess that's why he's fine with it. But when it gets too much for him, he just needs to tell me and I'll stop."

"Will you?" Cia asks with a smirk.

"Sure!" Ash says, then laughs. "Probably."

Then she turns around, grabs another glass of champagne and holds it out for Cia. "Champagne?"

"Thanks" Cia replies, and Ash hands her the glass.

They clink glasses.

"To our boyfriends!" Cia says.

"And to teasing them," Ash adds with a wink.

Cia frowns at that. "I don't think I've ever really teased Johnny."

"Then you should consider it." Ash winks again.

Cia turns her mouth into a smirk. "I will!"

And they clink glasses again.

Soon after that, Johnny comes back to the party. He immediately walks up to Cia and Ash, coming to a hold next to Cia and reaching for her hand. Cia lets him have it, but shifts a bit closer to him, so their bodies touch.

And no, she isn't making a point. Again. Although she likes that Mike turns away with a roll of his eyes.

* * *

When Johnny brings his truck to a stop in front of Cia's apartment building, Cia notices that he doesn't stop the engine.

"Don't you want to come up?" Cia asks.

And yes, it's because all the drive here she thought that maybe they could pick up in her apartment where they had left of before in that dressing room.

Johnny avoids her eyes. "Sorry, I want to get some work done at the garage before rehearsals tomorrow. And rehearsals start _really_ early."

"Oh. I see."

"Sorry," Johnny says again. "I'd love to, but…" He breaks off with a shrug.

Cia suddenly remembers what Ash said about teasing.

"Hmmmm, how much?" she asks with a smirk.

"How much what?" Johnny asks.

"How much would you love to come up?" Cia asks.

"Very," Johnny replies, his voice suddenly low.

It makes Cia's smirk deepen.

No, she doesn't want to push Johnny, she just wants to tease him a bit.

So she leans in closer until their lips almost touch. Johnny moves a little closer, trying to bridge the gap between them, but Cia leans back again a bit. And a bit more when he tries again.

It makes her almost laugh when a little groan leaves Johnny's mouth.

He tries once more and Cia retreats again before their lips can actually touch.

"Heh!" Johnny protests.

"Sorry!" Cia says with a little laugh before she finally presses her lips to his.

Their kiss starts gentle and soft, but Cia realizes it's not enough for her, so she lets her tongue glide over Johnny's bottom lip, demanding access. He grants it immediately, and seconds later their tongues are entangled in a breath-taking dance.

When they pull apart again, panting, Cia has to ask again.

"You still don't want to come up?"

"No, sorry," Johnny says.

"Okay," she says.

She doesn't like it, but she accepts it.

She presses her lips to his for one more quick kiss before she climbs out of the car.

She waves at Johnny and he waves back before he drives off.

On her way up to her apartment, Cia remembers the kisses Johnny and she have shared that day, and especially the events in the dressing room make her heartbeat speed up again.

And she has this vague feeling that it might take her a while to find some sleep tonight.


	11. Chapter 11

_Johnny_

On his ride home Johnny keeps asking himself if it was okay to refuse Cia's invitation.

Okay, he knows _why_ he did it - because after Mr. Moon walked in on them making out in the dressing room, it just didn't feel right any longer. And the smirks Mike sent their way every once in a while didn't help either.

All the way to Cia's apartment, he waited for the feeling to come back - but it didn't. Not when she asked if he wanted to come up, not when she teased him - which he actually liked a lot -, not when they finally kissed.

And it was no lie. He would have _loved_ to come up with her - if the feeling had been right.

Which it wasn't.

Unfortunately.

And all the ride home he keeps waiting for the right feeling to come back because he could still turn around, he could call her, he could tell her that he's changed his mind.

But it doesn't come back.

With a sigh he parks his truck and climbs out.

Even on his way up the stairs he keeps waiting.

And still, nothing.

He doesn't get it.

Back in that dressing room, it had felt right, so _very_ right!

And then it was gone within the blink of an eye.

Okay, it has been no lie either that he wants to get up early tomorrow to work at the garage before rehearsals. Because he still wants to open the youth center before Rosita and Gunter start their tour.

But he wouldn't have cared. If the feeling had been right, he wouldn't have cared, that is.

He's still thinking about it when he goes to bed.

Something tells him that sleep wouldn't come his way anytime soon.

* * *

The next days pass rather quickly. There's the work at the garage and rehearsals and more work at the garage.

And then it's Friday, the day Rosita asked him and Cia to redeem their voucher for babysitting because she and Norman want to go on their candlelight-dinner-date.

When he picks up Cia she has her secret babysitting-weapon with her, her bag of wonders where the piglets can reach in for little presents when they do the tasks right.

It's not a surprise - Cia has used it before for babysitting the piglets -, but Johnny is still relieved.

Cia climbs into the truck, greets him with a quick kiss and they are on their way to Rosita.

* * *

"If something comes up, call me," Rosita says for the felt hundredth time. "And I put all the numbers you might need on the fridge, poison control…"

"Children's ward and so on," Johnny cuts in. "Rosita, we know."

The female pig sighs. "You sure you can handle this?"

"We did before," Johnny replies. Okay, actually, it was just him at first, and he failed miserably until he called Cia for help.

Rosita looks from him to Cia and Cia holds up her little bag of wonders and shakes it a little.

Rosita giggles.

"Okay," she finally says. "We might be out a little longer, so if you get tired, you can convert the couch into a bed and sleep here. Breakfast is on us tomorrow!"

"Yes, Rosita," Johnny says, mentally rolling his eyes. "You told us twice already."

Rosita sighs. "And if anything happens…"

"We'll call you," Johnny finishes her sentence. "Really, Rosita, we're going to be fine."

"Okay," Rosita says, but she still doesn't move.

"He, Norman!" Cia calls out. "Think you can catch her if I throw her out of the apartment? Literally, I mean."

And she leans forward pretending to grab Rosita.

"No, no, I'm going, I'm going!" Rosita says quickly and catches up with Norman at the door.

And then - _finally!_ \- the door shuts closed behind them.

* * *

Johnny has to admit, it's so much better to have Cia's help from the start instead of spending hours close to a mental breakdown while keeping the piglets from hurting themselves.

With Cia's help, no almost-accidents happen, he isn't close to a mental breakdown one minute, and it's just nice.

He's still glad when the piglets have gone to sleep and he and Cia can settle down on the couch.

He turns on the TV, but doesn't really care what's on.

The last days, he and Cia didn't have much time together, so he can't wait to kiss her.

And he does as soon as she sits down next to him. Almost.

Because in the last moment he remembers something. He really liked it when Cia teased him back in the truck after Rosita's birthday party. It's just a idea, but he wants to try it the other way round.

So just before their lips touch, he stops and when Cia tries to bridge the gap between them, he leans back.

Cia tries again, but he leans back a little more, and she chuckles.

"Now I regret giving you ideas," she says.

"No need for that," he replies before he finally pulls her into a gentle kiss.

Before he can deepen the kiss, Cia breaks it.

"Not here," she whispers. "Not when the piglets could see us."

Johnny thinks about it for a moment. He doesn't like it, but Cia has a point.

"Agreed," he says. "It was hard enough to have to listen to them singing the k-i-s-s-i-n-g-song every ten minutes."

"You have to thank the little bag of wonders that they finally stopped," Cia replies with a smile.

"And the one who came up with this bag of wonders," he adds, his voice a little low. "Thank you!"

And he pulls her into another gentle kiss.

He so wants to deepen it, but no, Cia is right. It's better to be careful around here.

They spend hours on the couch watching TV, cuddling, and sharing gentle kisses every now and then.

Around midnight, Cia looks at him.

"Think we should settle in for the night? I don't think they're coming back anytime soon," she asks.

Johnny just nods and gets up.

Together, they convert the couch into a bed, using the blankets and pillows Rosita has laid out ready.

Cia goes to the bathroom first.

It gives Johnny time to think. And doesn't know if he likes it. Because now he realizes that staying overnight means that Cia and he are going to share a bed for the very first time.

Sure, Rosita has told them about this option when she asked them to babysit because - so Johnny guesses - she really wanted to spend the night alone with Norman.

And yes, he agreed, and he and Cia brought everything they need to stay the night.

But now that it's actually happening, he isn't so sure if he likes it.

Having Cia this close to him for a whole night, is that a good a idea?

No, it's not, he decides, especially because nothing can happen between them.

And it's going to be even more difficult, he realizes, when Cia comes back wearing a nightshirt. At least it's loose and not tight which would make things even more difficult. And yes, it could be even worse, like, it could be even more revealing.

He quickly gets to the bathroom to take a shower and change into his pajamas.

When he comes back, Cia is watching TV.

Johnny climbs into bed next to her. He feels a bit uneasy, but he can handle this.

Cia looks at him.

"Sleep time?" she asks.

"Yes," he replies with a shrug.

She still looks at him.

"What?" he asks.

"Well, could you turn off the TV then?" she asks. "You were in charge of the remote control and I have no idea where you put it."

"Oh, yes, sure!" he quickly says, finding the remote control on his side of the bed, and turns the TV off.

"Thanks!" Cia says, and although his eyes haven't adjusted to the dark yet, he knows she's smiling.

Then she lies down, keeping a distance between them.

It makes Johnny frown.

"Something wrong?" he asks.

"No, why?" Cia replies.

"Because you're lying down over there."

Cia lifts her head. "Well, I might kick. Or snore. Or both."

Johnny rolls his eyes as he lies down and holds out his arm.

"Don't mind," he says.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Actually, he isn't sure if it's a good idea, but he wants to have her closer to him. About that, he's sure at least.

Cia shifts closer and her head comes to rest on his chest. He wraps his arm around her.

"Good night, Johnny!" Cia says.

"Good night, Cia!"

And now comes the time when Johnny realizes that having Cia this close to him is not such a good idea at all. It's one thing to cuddle when they're both completely dressed, but wearing so little? This sure complicates things.

Cia's calm breathing shows him that she must have fallen asleep.

Johnny, however, isn't sure if he's going to find any sleep tonight.

He listens to her breathing, feels her warmth, smells her scent, and he likes it.

Actually, it feels right.

He places a kiss on her forehead before he closes his eyes, trying to find some sleep.

He's still awake when Norman and Rosita finally come home.

He pretends to be asleep, though.

Johnny doesn't know when, but at some point, he finally drifts off to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

_Cia_

When Cia wakes up, she's a bit confused. This doesn't look like her apartment. It takes her a few moments to remember that she's at Rosita's place. And that she spent the night on the couch.

Together with Johnny.

Carefully, she lifts her head.

She remembers that she's fallen asleep with her head resting on Johnny's chest and his arm wrapped around her. And that it felt so warm and comfortable and _right_ that she fell asleep almost immediately.

It makes her smile, and her smile only grows when she looks at Johnny's sleeping form.

Her plan is sneaking out of the bed without waking him up, but then she sees that at some point during the night either she or Johnny - she really can't remember - took the other's hand, and now they're still holding hands, and Cia has no idea how to free her hand without waking Johnny up.

She tries, though, slowly and carefully tugging her hand from Johnny's warm grip.

Johnny must have realized, though, because he stirs and then slowly opens his eyes. He looks at her for a moment, and Cia thinks that it takes him a moment, too, to remember where he is.

"Good morning," he says, then, his voice a bit hoarse.

"Good morning," she replies with a smile.

She leans in a little closer to place a quick kiss on his lips.

She pulls away again, smiling at him and tries to get up, but Johnny uses their still locked hands to pull her back into another kiss, longer this time, but still gentle.

It doesn't stay at that.

When Johnny pulls her even closer to deepen the kiss, Cia thinks of warning him that they are still at Rosita's place and that pretty soon, twenty-five piglets will be up and probably catch them kissing which will only lead to more k-i-s-s-i-n-g-songs.

The thought is gone the moment Johnny lets his tongue glide over her lips, asking for entrance which she all too willingly grants.

There's still the voice of reason somewhere in the back of her head, trying to warn her, telling to be careful, but it falls silent when their tongues start their breath-taking dance.

Too late she hears the sound of little feet, and then the bed rattles.

The couple quickly pulls apart to find three piglets jumping around them, singing, "Cia and Johnny, sitting in a tree,..."

Cia laughs a little at that, although she is a bit disappointed, and from the look on Johnny's face he's disappointed, too.

She gives his hand a little squeeze before she finally frees her hand. With an apologetic smile towards Johnny, she gets up and walks over to the bathroom.

Before the bathroom door falls closed behind her, she can hear Rosita's voice.

"Caspar! Hannah! Nelson! I told you to let these two sleep in today!" the female pig calls out.

"But Mom!" Caspar replies. "They weren't sleeping they were k-i-s-..."

Rosita doesn't let him finish.

"And since when do we jump around in beds!?" Rosita's strict voice calls out before the door finally falls closed and Cia can't hear the rest of the conversation. Or rather discussion.

With a little laugh and a shake of her head Cia gets over to the sink.

Splashing her face with some cold water seems like a good idea right now.

* * *

They somehow make it through breakfast without the piglets singing the k-i-s-s-i-n-g-song too much. Which they have Rosita to thank for.

Speaking of Rosita, Cia doesn't miss the broad smile the female pig is wearing on her face, not to mention the looks she and Norman share every few moments. And of course, there's the smile on Norman's face, too.

It makes Cia chuckle silently.

Johnny gives her a confused look for that, and Cia slightly shakes her head.

"Later," she says silently.

Johnny just nods before he goes back to eating his bowl of cereal.

* * *

"So?" Johnny asks when they are in his truck on their way to Cia's apartment.

"So what?" Cia asks.

"You wanted to tell me something later," he clarifies. "Which is now, I guess?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Cia says, but suddenly, she isn't so sure if that's a good idea. With the point she and Johnny are at right now, should she really tell him that _obviously_ Norman and Rosita had been doing it last night?

Ever since Rosita's birthday party, Johnny seemed to make sure to keep her at a little distance.

Okay, they still were kissing a lot, but he always pulled away when it got a little more heated.

Which told Cia that they had rushed things at Rosita's party and now Johnny was a bit scared again.

Except for this morning. She doesn't know what got into him, and she doesn't really care, but it probably was a bad idea there in Rosita's living room.

Or at Rosita's party.

Okay, not really.

Because if Mr. Moon hadn't walked in on them, they would have had sex for sure.

Which still makes the dressing room a bad idea because people could walk in on them there.

But it has been so hot!

Just like the kiss this morning!

So maybe Johnny is finally willing to take the next step? Should she ask him to come to her apartment with her? What if he refuses her? Again.

"Cia?" Johnny asks.

Cia jumps a little. "Oh sure."

She bites down her lip for a moment.

"Well, obviously Rosita and Norman spent a nice evening together," she says, trying to keep her words vague.

Johnny laughs. "Are you kidding me?" he says. "They barely could keep their hands off of each other."

Cia's eyes widen at that. "So you realized, too?"

"I'm not blind," Johnny adds with a soft chuckle.

Johnny seems so relaxed and just fine that it makes Cia smile.

"Oh, and by the way, you neither kick nor snore," Johnny adds.

"Phew," Cia makes. "I was a little worried."

Suddenly, Johnny seems a bit tense again.

"Has-hasn't one of your, uhm, _friends_ told you?" he asks.

"Huh?" It takes Cia a moment to get what he means.

"Oh, no, they never stayed over night," she explains.

"Oh, okay."

Johnny stops the car in front of her apartment building, and again, he doesn't stop the engine.

It makes Cia frown.

She leans over and lets her head sink to his shoulder.

"Which means you're the first I shared a bed with in that way," she says. "And my friends and me, we usually didn't cuddle either. Or just spend a night on the couch cuddling. You're my first in many ways."

She feels Johnny shift and when she turns her head a little so she can look at him, he locks eyes with her.

"I guess that's true," he says, his voice low.

She smiles, lifting her head a little.

She leaves it to him to bridge the gap between them, and he lets her wait for a little moment that brings the doubts to her brain. Maybe bringing this _her first_ -thing up wasn't such a good idea after all. Maybe she's putting too much pressure on him. Maybe…

Her thoughts are interrupted when Johnny presses his lips to hers, gently and carefully, and it's driving her crazy.

After their kiss this morning Cia can't settle for a gentle kiss, she just _can't_.

There's a moment of hesitation before she raises her hand to the back of Johnny's head and pulls him closer, deepening their kiss.

She waits for him to pull away again. She _expects_ him to pull away.

He doesn't.

Instead, he wraps his arms around her and pulls her close to his body.

Their kiss turns from gentle into heated within in moments, and when they come up for air, they look at each other, trying to catch her breath.

"Do … you want to come up?" Cia asks.

Johnny looks at her, his eyes widening just a little.

Her heart does a little leap because she expects him to finally say yes, but then he bites down his lip.

"Sorry, Cia, I need to get some work done in the garage."

"Oh, okay." She doesn't even try to keep the disappointment from her voice.

"Another time," Johnny says, and then he smiles, and the smile alone makes Cia's heart skip a beat.

"Because," Johnny goes on, "there are some things I want _you_ to be my first."

Before she can reply Johnny pulls her into another kiss, another heated, passionate kiss.

And when they pull apart, a little moan leaves Cia's mouth before she can stop herself.

Johnny smiles at that.

When Cia climbs out of the truck, her legs are still a little shaky.

All her way up to her apartment, she keeps thinking about Johnny.

He acts like he wants it, he even _says_ he wants it, yet he still leaves? She doesn't get it.

But she promised to give him the time he needs, and she can be patient.

Yes, she can.

Really.

She just needs to bring her heartbeat back to a normal rate and ignore the prickle on her skin.

Which she can do.

Really, she can.


	13. Chapter 13

_Johnny_

On his way to the garage Johnny keeps wondering why he turned down Cia's offer. Again.

It's not that he believes into this "the third time is the charm"- saying which would mean that he would take her up on her offer next time.

No, that's not it.

There's more to it, but he can't really put his finger on it.

What he knows for sure is that he keeps thinking about how much work he needs to get done in the garage when he wants it all to be up and running before Rosita and Gunter leave for their tour.

Which might be the reason why he turned down Cia again.

But that's not all there is to it.

He knows he wants her to be his first, he knows he wants to take the next step.

He just doesn't want to take it now.

And he doesn't even know for sure why that's the case.

Or he knows in a way.

Because in the back of his head, there is this voice that keeps telling him that maybe there's a reason why Mr. Moon interrupted them.

That there's a reason _why_ they were interrupted when all felt right to him.

Because maybe it's not the right time.

Although he can't stop thinking about the passionate kisses he and Cia share, although he can't stop thinking about what it felt like when Cia let her hand slide under his shirt back there in the dressing room, although he can't stop thinking about how much he enjoyed when she moaned into his mouth.

And he can't stop thinking what it would feel like to touch her and to be touched by her, what it would feel like to finally do _it_.

It's the moment he realizes he's been standing around in the garage with a hammer in hand, just staring into space.

He wants to slap himself, but instead he decides to finally get to work.

Until he realizes that his thoughts have drifted of again, and he's been staring into space with a hammer and some nails in his hand.

Okay, this isn't working.

Should he try again? He still can't get some work done.

But he realizes rather quickly that he can't.

His thoughts always drift off.

So with a shake of his head he puts the hammer and the nails back into the toolbox.

There's only one thing he can do right now.

* * *

It's already late in the evening when he rings at Cia's apartment.

Thinking of it, he maybe should have called her. Or sent her a text.

But he couldn't get here quickly enough.

" _Yes?"_ Cia asks over the intercom.

"Cia, it's me, Johnny," he replies.

" _Johnny?" s_ he repeats, and he can hear the surprise in her voice. " _Come on up!"_

Then he hears the buzzing sound of the lock.

He takes a deep breath and enters the building.

The way up the stairs his heart starts hammering in his chest, and he can feel the nagging voice in the back of his head again.

 _Maybe you were interrupted for a reason._

 _Maybe we weren't,_ Johnny thinks in reply.

 _Maybe it won't feel right again._

 _Maybe it will,_ Johnny replies.

 _And if it doesn't?_

That's the point when he doesn't know what to reply to that voice. Because really, what's he supposed to do when it doesn't feel right?

Okay, he _knows_ what to do, but he isn't sure if that is what he _should_ do.

Tell Cia to stop. Tell her that he needs a little more time.

But he's here for a reason, he's here because he wants this, so he doesn't think it'd be okay to stop her.

Maybe he'd just need to keep it up a little longer even when it doesn't feel right and it will start feeling right at some point.

He nods his head a little, deciding that this is what he wants to do.

His heart picks up even more speed when he arrives at Cia's floor, and a bit more - which he thought wasn't even possible - when he sets eyes on Cia standing in the open door of her apartment, waiting.

No, waiting for _him_.

It makes him smile.

She frowns a little.

"Johnny, is everything o…"

He doesn't let her finish, just wraps his arms around her, pulling her into a kiss.

He can feel her tense up as he presses her mouth to his, but she relaxes a moment later, parting her lips to allow his tongue access. Which he accepts all too willingly.

Cia takes a step backwards pulling him with her into the apartment without breaking the kiss.

He at least has the presence of mind to kick the door shut behind them.

They keep moving until Cia bumps into the couch with the back of her legs.

It makes them break their kiss.

Okay, they probably needed to come up for air anyway.

Cia smiles at him.

"What's gotten into you?" she asks.

He shrugs. "You complaining?"

Cia laughs a little at that. "Not at all!"

And then she pulls him into another kiss.

She climbs the couch and he follows her, and then they are sitting on the couch, without having broken their kiss for one second.

Johnny feels Cia's hands under his jacket, and he unwraps his arms from around her body so she can slide it from his shoulders and he shrugs out of it, letting it fall to the floor.

They break their kiss for a moment and lock eyes.

Johnny hopes he doesn't look as scared as he feels right now, because, boy, he _is_ scared.

But Cia just smiles at him before she puts her lips to his again and gently pushes him down on the couch.

This time, her hands slide under his shirt, and he likes how her fingers caress his fur and the skin underneath.

In response he lets one hand slide under her shirt and he likes how her fur, how her skin feels under his fingers, too.

He likes how Cia deepens the kiss, he likes how she lowers herself onto his body, he likes how her weight feels on him.

Yes, he's scared and he's nervous and it doesn't feel quite right, but he decides to ignore it.

Although he can't ignore the fact that he feels all tensed up.

But it will pass, he tells himself, it will pass and it will finally start to feel right.

He just needs to keep it up a little longer.

Suddenly, Cia pulls away.

He opens his eyes to look at her.

Cia searches his face with a frown.

"You want to stop?" she asks.

His eyes widen a little.

"N-no!" he calls out.

Okay, he doesn't like that it sounds a bit off and he doesn't like that he manage to stutter at one word, but a no is a no, right?

Cia's frown deepens.

"You sure?"

"Why do you ask?" he asks in return.

"Because you're trembling."

"Am I?" he asks until he realizes that Cia's right.

"I'm sorry!" he says quickly, putting his hand over his face. "It'll pass. If we just keep going it'll pass. I know it will."

"Johnny." Cia's voice sounds so serious that Johnny removes his hand from his face and looks at her.

"Do you want to stop?" she asks.

Johnny sighs. "Yes."

"Okay," Cia says and sits up.

Johnny does the same, lowering his gaze to the floor.

"I'm sorry!" he says. "I thought if we just kept going, it'll work and …"

He breaks off.

"You wanted to just get it done?" Cia asks.

"No!" he calls out. "I just thought … I don't know. I'm sorry."

He shrugs.

"It's fine."

"No, it's not," Johnny replies. "You don't deserve this. You deserve someone who wants to do it and can get it done, and not someone like me who wants to do it and then stands in his own way."

"Stop that!" Cia says.

"Just telling the truth, Cia," he says. "You deserve better. I'm sorry."

"Johnny, look at me," she says, and Johnny raises his gaze.

"I don't know what I deserve," she says. "And if you ask me, no one deserves anything because bad things happen to good animals and the other way round. Things just happen. But I do know what I want. And that is you."

He has to admit, this sends a pleasant shiver down his spine.

"And I don't care if it takes you a week or a month or a year to take the next step," Cia goes on, taking his hand. "As long as you want to take it with me."

"That, I want," he replies. "You have no idea how much."

Cia smiles, and he returns the smile.

She leans in to gently place her lips on his.

She adds a little pressure for his and Johnny understands she wants to deepen the kiss. For a moment, Johnny thinks of letting it happen, but then he decides to pull away.

"I'm sorry," he says when Cia looks at him.

She rolls her eyes ."I you say you're sorry one more time, I am going to slap you," she says.

"I'm s...okay!" he says quickly.

They both look at each other for a moment before they burst into laughter.

"So what are we going to do now for the rest of the evening?" Cia asks when they've calmed down.

Johnny shrugs, but then an idea forms in his head.

"Wanna help me with some work in the garage?" he asks.

"Depends."

"On what?"

"If there's a roof or a ladder involved? I'm still afraid of heights, you know."

It makes Johnny laugh a little. "Hey, I know you climbed a building."

"Because someone's life was in danger!" Cia protests. "And as long as that's _not_ the case, I prefer to steer clear of any heights."

"Okay," Johnny replies. "No roof, no ladder, just plain floor."

"Then it's a deal," Cia says.

"Awesome!" Johnny gives her hand a squeeze before he gets to his feet, pulling her with him.

He might not be able to stop thinking about doing it with Cia, but maybe he can still get some work in the garage done while he does.


	14. Chapter 14

_Cia_

Cia can't say she didn't hope that they'd finally take the next step that night, but she made this promise a while ago not to push Johnny.

Because she can be patient.

Or so she keeps telling herself.

But more importantly, she doesn't want Johnny to force himself into doing something he isn't ready for yet.

And he was forcing himself last night.

All tensed up and trembling like he's been, it was easy for her to realize he wasn't ready.

And she figured out that he was forcing himself because he didn't say anything.

She just hopes he finally understood that she's going to wait for him. No matter how long it'll take him.

Although she'd prefer that he'll be ready soon, patience or not.

And her patience was put to another test when they spent the rest of the day working in the garage.

Because she could feel his eyes on her all the time, and the _way_ he looked at her made her skin prickle.

They planned on meeting the next day again, but then Cia receives a text from Mr. Moon that he needs some of the scenes for the new show rewritten, and, of course, he needs it on Monday because he has a meeting with Nana Noodleman in the evening and has to prepare.

Which means Cia has to spend all Sunday writing.

And Mr. Moon asks her to come in on Monday and help Ms. Crawly.

Cia sighs. Somehow, today is not her day. She texts Johnny that she has work to do and they can't see each other today.

He understands, he always does.

And Cia decides that she's fine with having to work all day.

As long as she's busy she doesn't have to keep telling herself that she can be patient.

* * *

When she comes back from her lunch break on Monday, Ms. Crawly addresses her as soon as she's through the door.

"There you are, Cia!" she says, and for a moment, Cia's afraid that Ms. Crawly is picking up old habits again and wants her to organize something.

Instead, the iguana nods towards the door of Mr. Moon's office.

"Mr. Moon wants to see you," she says.

"Thank you, Ms. Crawly," Cia replies before she walks over to Mr. Moon's office.

She knocks and is asked in, so she enters - only to set eyes not only on Mr. Moon, but on Johnny as well.

This makes her frown. What's Johnny doing here?

"Ah, Cia!" Mr. Moon greets her. "We have exciting news!"

"Okay," Cia says, still wondering what's going on.

"I heard back from Johnny's label today," Mr. Moon goes on. "And they want you to write the lyrics."

"Really?" Cia asks.

"Really," Mr. Moon agrees.

Cia looks at Johnny, and he nods, too, wearing a big grin on his face.

"They just need you to write the lyrics for two songs till the end of the week," Mr. Moon goes on.

"I can do that!" Cia calls out, her eyes still on Johnny. She knows she's grinning just as broadly as he is right now.

"This is amazing!" she calls out.

"It is!" Johnny says, opening his arms, and Cia rushes over to hug him.

Okay, she did _not_ plan on kissing him, but as soon as she feels his arms around her, she can't stop herself. And Johnny returns the kiss just as quickly, so she thinks that maybe he couldn't stop himself as well.

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" Mr. Moon calls out. "Enough, you two!"

They separate, still looking at each other, smiling.

"Johnny, fill her in on the details when you're … uhm … done," Mr. Moon says. "Now get out of here."

Johnny nods without breaking eye-contact with her and they both leave Mr. Moon's office.

They quickly cross the office space and as soon as they're out in the corridor, they wrap their arms around each other and kiss again.

"Okay," Cia says when they finally manage to pull apart, ignoring the hammering heart in her chest. "What details?"

"Right!" Johnny replies. "Well, the label has decided to bring forward my album's release date. Which means you have to get these lyrics done rather quickly."

Cia shrugs. "I can handle that."

"Good." Johnny nods. "Because I have to work really hard to get the album done in time, I'll only be doing five shows for Mr. Moon until someone else will take my part."

"Oh? Are you disappointed?"

"Not really," Johnny replies. "I like the show, but I am not good at this whole dancing and acting-thing. I'm not Rosita. Or Gunter. I prefer playing the piano and just singing."

"I see."

"And there are some more news for you."

"Oh?"

"Nothing bad, no worries! It's just that the show is going to need a little rewriting because of the animal who's going to take over after me. And you are never going to believe who it is."

Suddenly, there's a smirk on Johnny's face that startles Cia a bit.

"Who?" she asks.

"Mike!"

Cia can't help, but laugh out loud.

"Okay, I can see why the rewriting is necessary," she says, thinking of the scene where Johnny has to punch another animal in the show. And that's only _one_ scene. Aside from that, she can really see Mike playing Johnny's part, as surprising as that is.

"Still think you can handle that?" Johnny asks.

"Sure!" Cia replies. "Do you think _you_ can handle all of this? I mean, that's rehearsals, the work on the album, five shows. That's a lot!"

"I think I can," Johnny says, smiling at her warmly. "I'm just glad you can do the lyrics for my album."

"Yeah," Cia says. "Me too."

They look into each other's eyes and there's something in Johnny's eyes that brings the prickle back to Cia's skin.

"I think we should celebrate," Johnny says, and his voice is so low and serious that Cia's heart picks up some speed. "Saturday evening at my place okay?"

Cia's voice is just as low and serious when she replies, "It's perfect."

* * *

Granted, Cia doesn't know if Johnny really meant what she thinks he meant when he said they should celebrate.

But she's so busy all week with the rewriting of the show and the work on the lyrics that she can't think too much about it.

And then Saturday is here, and she receives a text from Johnny which movie she'd like to watch tonight.

It makes her twist her mouth a little, but on the other hand, it's Johnny. Maybe he's just too shy to state the obvious.

So Cia just replies she's fine with anything, but horror.

She spends the afternoon getting more and more excited, until she gives herself a speech on patience.

Twice.

And a third time on her way to Johnny's apartment.

Her heart is hammering in her chest when she arrives at Johnny's apartment.

She somehow expects him to pull her into a kiss as soon as he opens a door, but he only places a quick kiss on her lips before he steps aside to let her enter.

Okay, maybe he really didn't mean what she thought he meant when he said they should celebrate.

Which is fine. She can handle it. Because she's patient.

She takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself down as she walks up to the couch, but before she reaches it, Johnny grabs her hand and pulls her around.

She looks at him, watching as he lowers his eyes, until he takes a deep breath and looks up again, locking eyes with her.

"I thought we were going to celebrate," he says with a small smile.

"Only if you want to," she replies.

"I want to."

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Okay," Cia says. "Just let me say again, you can always change your mind, at any point. You can always tell me to …"

She doesn't get a chance to finish her little speech because Johnny gently presses his lips to hers.

"I know," he says when he pulls away again.

"Okay," Cia says.

She searches his face for any sign of doubts, but there aren't any, so she gives his hand a squeeze before she leads him to the bedroom.

They sit down on Johnny's bed, and suddenly, Johnny looks so very nervous, lowering his eyes to the floor. He lets go of her hand so he can fumble around with his fingers.

"What now?" he asks. "D-do we kiss or do we undress first or …"

This time, it's Cia's turn to not let him finish.

She gently pushes him back on the mattress.

Yes, she knows it's a risky move, but she couldn't help herself.

Johnny looks at her with wide eyes, and she looks down on him with a smile.

"Stop thinking so much!" she says. "Relax!"

She looks deeply into his eyes.

"Here, let me help," she adds as she lowers her mouth to his.

Her kiss is gentle and careful, she's just testing the waters.

It takes Johnny a while to return the kiss and when he does it's just as gentle.

Cia pulls away, looking into his eyes.

She expects him to still look nervous, and yes, she can still find a hint of it in his eyes, but there's more in them, something she can't quite place, but it makes her heart skip a beat.

Johnny raises a hand to her face, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb.

He smiles before he pulls her into another kiss.

It starts out as gentle as the kiss before and Cia leaves it to Johnny to deepen it.

And when he does, it takes her breath away, even more when he wraps his free arm around her to press her body to his.

It's the moment Cia realizes that tonight, Johnny isn't going to tell her to stop.

* * *

When Cia wakes the next morning her hand automatically reaches for Johnny, and she frowns when she finds the bed empty. She opens her eyes and looks around the room, looking for Johnny. She can't find him.

It only tells her how fast asleep she must have been when she didn't even realize that he got up.

Which really shouldn't be a surprise. She didn't get much sleep last night. They both didn't.

She remembers catching a glimpse at the alarm clock at some point and it was six in the morning. But they had one more round of amazing sex after that until sleep finally got the best of them.

She sits up and checks the alarm clock again, confirming that she only had a few hours of sleep.

She climbs out of the bed, looking for her clothes.

She doesn't find them on the ground where she had tossed them the night before. Instead they lie neatly folded on Johnny's dresser. That's such a Johnny-thing to do that it makes Cia smile.

She puts on her clothes, but at the door of Johnny's bedroom, she stops.

She slides the door open just a bit and peeks out into the other room.

Her smile deepens when she sets eyes on Johnny fiddling around with a frying pan in the kitchenette, humming some tune.

She slides the door open completely and enters the room.

"It's beyond me how someone can look that good after only a few hours of sleep," she says.

Johnny looks up from the frying pan he's currently busy with and returns the smile. "Says the stunning girl coming out of my bedroom." He pauses for a moment, his smile turning into a smirk. "Hmmmm, I like how that sounds."

Cia laughs as she walks over to him.

"Breakfast is almost ready," Johnny says, nodding at the kitchen table, which is packed with all kinds of food - bread, jam, cereals, coffee, and more. "You can have whatever you want."

Somehow, these words make Cia's heart beat a little faster.

"I can have whatever I want?" she asks.

"Yeah, sure," Johnny replies, his eyes already back on the food in the frying pan.

Cia smirks as she walks up to him. She hugs him from behind, making him freeze for a second, before she reaches around him and turns off the stove plate.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Johnny asks.

Cia carefully takes the frying pan from his hand and places it on the stove before she wraps her hands even tighter around him.

"You said I can have whatever I want," she explains, as she leans forward to look at his face over his shoulder. "Turns out all I want is you."

Johnny smiles at her and as their lips touch, Cia slowly sinks to the floor, pulling Johnny with her.

* * *

 _I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. :) For those interested in some steamier stuff, I plan on doing a separate story with some outtakes I can't post here because of the rating. So if you want to read that (and are old enough to do so, of course), keep your eyes open for "Lessons in Love - Outtakes". ;)_


	15. Chapter 15

_Johnny_

On his way to the theater for rehearsals on Monday morning, Johnny thinks about the events of the weekend.

Heck, he'd been so nervous, and then it turned out to be the best weekend of his life!

When he drove Cia home yesterday evening, it took them several attempts to get out of his truck because he kept pulling her closer to kiss her whenever she wanted to get out - or she leaned in closer to kiss him good-bye. Or maybe both at the same time. He isn't so sure about that. And to be honest, he doesn't really care.

When Cia finally made it out of his truck, she poked her head back in and asked if he wanted to come up.

Of course he said yes. It was the third time she invited him up, and there is this saying about the third being the charm, isn't there? Not that he believes in this kind of things, but boy, it had been _good!_ The first time they did it in her apartment, and the second time, too. Okay, _every_ time.

He ended up spending the night at her apartment.

Which means he's running on only a few hours of sleep. Again.

And he doesn't care at all.

Cia isn't at the theater today because she needs to get some writing done. And she prefers to do her writing at home. It means that there aren't going to be any distractions at the theater today. Not that his thoughts aren't distracting enough already.

He just wishes he could wipe this broad grin from his face or at least dampen it down a bit, but so far, he's failed.

He's just afraid that this grin would give him away immediately. Which doesn't bother him _that_ much, it's just that he doesn't want Mike to know. He still remembers the smirks the mouse sent his and Cia's way during Rosita's birthday party. He didn't like them. And Mike for sure is going to make some comments if he finds Johnny grinning like _that_. Which Johnny wouldn't like either.

So as he climbs out of his truck he tries again to at least dampen down the grin a bit. And fails. Again.

He really has to work on that. He's visiting his father in the afternoon, and there are things his father doesn't need to know. And that Johnny had sex with his girlfriend is one of these things.

As he walks up the stairs to the theater, someone calls his name and Johnny turns to set eyes on Ash running up to him.

"Hi, Ash!" he greets her. "How are you?"

"Good, good," she replies with a smile. "And you?"

"I'm good," Johnny says.

"I bet." Ash's smile turns into a smirk.

Johnny frowns a little at that. "Oh?"

"Aaaaaanything you want to tell me?" Ash goes on, her smirk turning into a grin.

He twists his mouth. "That obvious?" he asks.

Ash laughs out loud. "Yeah, your grin says it all. And don't forget, I've known you for quite a while now."

"I am way too easy to read," Johnny replies with a shake of his head.

"So?" Ash asks.

"So what?"

"So, was it good?"

"Yes, it was good," he says, and he knows his grin is broadening even more.

Ash giggles.

Because he doesn't know what else to say, Johnny sets into motion again.

"Hey!" Ash calls out as she follows suit. "That's all I get? That it was _good!?_ "

"Yup," Johnny replies.

"Oh, come on, Johnny! You gotta give me more than that!"

"Nope."

"Okay, then I'll invite Cia over again. I bet she'd give some more details."

Johnny shrugs. "Do that."

"Oh, come on, Johnny, please!"

"No!"

"Johnny!"

"Ash!"

* * *

When Johnny stops his truck close to the prison, he thinks that he's lucky that Mike didn't show up at the theater today.

Although Ash's questions for more details weren't so easy to handle either. In the end, she sent a text to Cia inviting her over this week. He might need to warn Cia about it. Or ask her not to go.

But right now he needs to work to dampen his grin down.

If Ash saw right through it, his father would, too. His father has known him way longer than Ash after all.

 _Okay, Johnny, you can do that. Just think of something sad. Think of ... of being sick! Yes, being sick is sad! You feel unwell and you have to stay in bed all day. Same bed you and Cia - damnit!_

He shakes his head. This is never going to work. He might just as well live with the fact that he'll be spending the rest of the week grinning like an idiot.

Hopefully, his father has the decency not to address the obvious.

* * *

His father's mouth twists into a small smile, though, as he sets eyes on him, and Johnny braces himself for the inevitable.

"How are you doing, my son?" he asks, his smile turning into a smirk.

"I'm fine, Dad."

"Yeah, you look fine," his father replies, his smirk deepening a bit.

Johnny laughs a nervous laugh at that. "H-how are you?"

"I'm good."

"That's nice!" Johnny says quickly. "Well, guess what? The rehearsals for my show are coming along great. And Cia is going to help me with the lyrics of my album."

"Cia, huh?" his father says. "When do I finally get to meet her?"

"I don't know, Dad. I'll ask her."

"Good. Because I really want to meet her now that," - Johnny flinches a little at that - "she's helping you with your album."

And Johnny releases the breath he's been holding in a silent sigh.

* * *

After visiting his father and having a few more hours of rehearsals at the theater, Johnny arrives at Cia's place. She asked if he wanted to come over tonight, and of course he said yes.

He must say, he was tired when he left the theater, but the closer he gets to Cia's apartment the more awake he feels. He even thinks that he could handle another night of only a few hours of sleep.

Which probably isn't healthy, but he doesn't care.

Cia greets him with a kiss, but before she can deepen it, Johnny pulls away.

There's something he needs to tell her first.

"My Dad wants to meet you," he says. "It's really important to him. Think you could do that?"

He doesn't know if they've really reached the parents-meeting-level now that they had sex, but his father has been bothering him about this ever since he and Cia got together, so he has to try.

Cia sighs. "What about you?" she asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Is it important to you, too?"

"Yeah," Johnny says, realizing just now that it really is important to him. He wants his father and Cia to meet. "It is."

Cia sighs again. "Then okay."

"Thanks!" Johnny says, pulling her into a longer, deeper kiss this time.

When they separate, Johnny remembers something else.

"By the way, Ash invited you over this week, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did," Cia replies. "Why?"

Johnny thinks of Ash and her need for details, and he isn't sure he likes it. Okay, he's pretty sure he _doesn't_ like it.

"Because she's going to ask for details. So is there a chance you won't go?"

"Not really." Cia laughs a little. "I really had fun last time."

"Not even if I ask really nicely?" he asks, tightening his grip on her hips and pulling her even closer.

"I doubt that," Cia says with a giggle. "But you can try."

"Will do!" Johnny says with a smirk before he places his lips on hers again.


	16. Chapter 16

_I decided to name Johnny's dad "Leon". Don't even know why. XD_

* * *

 _Cia_

Cia really isn't looking forward to meeting Johnny's dad. Not that she doesn't want to meet him, it's just that she'd prefer Johnny could go with her. But with his dad in prison, Cia only gets the chance to meet him alone.

Johnny already told her everything she needs to know - about the room, the booth, that she has to talk to his dad over a phone and that there's going to be glass between them.

Which probably should be soothing, but it isn't.

She knows about Johnny's criminal past and what his dad and the gang did.

It was one of the first things Johnny told her after they got together, and she still remembers the look on his face, sad and a little afraid.

Later, he told her he'd been afraid she'd break up with him because of that.

Which she didn't.

The look on his face made her want to kiss him immediately, but she let him finish his story first before she pulled him into a gentle kiss, and after the kiss she told him, she didn't care about his criminal past. Not at all.

His relieved sigh was a sound she's never to forget.

And of course it made her kiss him again.

But that was a story, Johnny's story. _This_ is meeting his dad. Without Johnny. Alone.

She doesn't even know what to say to him.

Although Johnny tried to help her there, too, but as much as they tried to find a topic both she and his dad would like, they failed. She isn't really interested in cars or boxing.

Cia sighs.

Things would be a lot easier if she knew what to talk about with Johnny's dad. And the date of their meeting is getting closer.

Cia tries to keep herself busy.

Which isn't that hard. She has enough work to do with re-writing the play for Mr. Moon and working on the lyrics for Johnny's album.

She just wishes she could spend more time with Johnny.

But he's super-busy right now, too. Rehearsals, working on his album, the work in the garage, it all comes together to this _huge_ pile of work.

Johnny has barely any free time, but he still somehow manages to meet up with her as often as he can.

When they had lunch together yesterday when she was working at the theater, she couldn't help, but recognize how tired Johnny looked.

And she made a mental note to _not_ have sex with him when they met at her place after his rehearsals because he needed rest.

Well, she could stick to it for about thirty minutes, but when Johnny kissed her and his hands started wandering over her body, she caved in to him.

She didn't regret it. It was amazing!

But she really has to work on that. She doesn't want Johnny to collapse.

Maybe Ash and her should have another of their girls' nights and she could ask for advice.

She had a lot of fun when she and Ash met last time, although Johnny had been right about her need for details. Which didn't bother Cia at all. She loved to have a little lewd talk at a girls' night.

But she made Ash promise that she'd never tell Johnny or tease him about it. And that she shouldn't ask Johnny for details any longer because he doesn't seem to like it.

So far, it seems to work.

As long as Cia provides her with more details. With what Cia has absolutely no problem with.

She really likes Ash. It's been a while since she had a best friend, but maybe Ash could turn into one.

With a smile Cia turns back to her work, pushing the thought away that the meeting with Johnny's dad is going to be in three days.

* * *

Three days later, Cia shrinks into her seat as she waits for Johnny's dad to show up.

 _You're doing this for Johnny!_ she reminds herself. _It's important to him._

She still wishes Johnny could be here with her. But that's not how things work in this prison.

If only she knew what to talk to Johnny's dad about!

And suddenly, it hits her. She might not be interested in cars, and Johnny's dad most certainly isn't interested in writing, but there's one thing that's important to both to them.

And that's Johnny.

She smiles, relieved that she finally found something to talk about with Johnny's dad, but the smile threatens to disappear when she sets eyes on the gorilla approaching the booth.

She didn't expect him to be such an impressive figure.

Her smile is almost gone when she forces the corners of her mouth up again.

 _First impressions, Cia! They're important!_

The gorilla sits down on the other side of the glass and takes the receiver. Cia does the same.

"Hello!" she says, hoping he didn't catch the little tremble in her voice. "I'm Cia!"

The gorilla looks her over.

She keeps her smile up although her face is starting to hurt.

"So, you are Johnny's girlfriend?" the gorilla asks, and Cia nods.

"Well, then let me tell you something, girl," he begins and there's a warning ring to his voice which makes Cia tense up a little.

Leon leans forward. "If you ever break his heart, I'm gonna break your face."

Yes, his voice makes the alarm bells ring in her head, but his words make the anger rise in her chest.

She? Breaking Johnny's heart? She could never do that!

She leans a little bit forward herself.

"Well, then let me tell _you_ something in return," she says. "Johnny is the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life, so if I'd ever be so stupid as to ruin this by breaking his heart, you have every right in the world to break my face, every bone in my body, whatever it is you want to break! Did I make myself clear!?"

She didn't mean to raise her voice, it just happened somehow.

But she's so angry! How could he even _think_ that she'd break Johnny's heart!?

Leon's face is unreadable, and when he leans forward even more, Cia prefers to lean back a little. She wants a little distance between him and her. Yes, there's the glass, but still.

"You have some guts, girl," he says, and Cia swallows hard.

And suddenly, his face turns into a smile. "I like that," he says with a little laugh.

Cia lets out the breath she's been holding in a long sigh.

* * *

"You have to be kidding me!" Cia calls out. "He wanted to be a pirate when he was a kid?"

"Yes!" Leon laughs. "Had to bring him to swimming lessons twice a week because he wanted to be prepared when his ship sinks."

Cia joins in the laughter.

She really likes Leon's laugh. It's loud and roaring and so very real.

"You know I am going to tease him about that," she says.

"Go ahead! Every male needs to be teased by his girl a bit."

Cia giggles.

"Well, Cia, our time is up," Leon says. "It was a pleasure meeting you!"

"Same!" Cia says.

"You wanna come visit me again?"

"Definitely!" Cia replies. "I need some more Johnny-childhood-stories to tease him about."

Leon chuckles. "Okay. Bye, Cia!"

"Bye, Leon!"

* * *

On her way home Cia is surprised about how well this meeting went.

She knows she wanted to leave Johnny alone for a bit, so he can get enough rest, but she simply _has_ to meet him tonight.

So she sends him a text and Johnny agrees for her to come over to his place after his rehearsals.

As soon as she's entered the apartment, she wraps her arms around Johnny.

Johnny is a bit startled by that, she can feel him tense up a little, but then he relaxes and returns the hug.

"So I guess everything went fine with my Dad?" he asks.

"Yeah!" Cia says. "He's great!"

Johnny laughs. "That's awesome!"

Cia leans back a little to look at Johnny with a smirk. "Why have you never told me that you wanted to be a pirate when you were a kid?"

Johnny's face freezes. "You … talked about that?"

"Yes, and that you wanted to have your own ship and …"

Johnny doesn't let her finish and presses his mouth to hers.

When they break the kiss, Cia's smirk deepens.

"If you think that's going to stop me, you're wrong," she says. "Anyways, he said he had to bring you to your swimming lessons twice a week bec …"

Johnny kisses her again. This time it's a more passionate, demanding kiss.

"I said that's not going to work," Cia says when they come up for air, although she must say, she starts to doubt that herself.

"Oh yeah?" Johnny replies, and now it's his turn to smirk. "Might have to do it better, then."

And when he pulls her into a kiss now, it's so breathtaking and hot that Cia's sure she isn't going to get a chance to mention that pirate-episode for a little while now.


	17. Chapter 17

_Johnny_

Johnny has to admit he was a bit nervous when Cia went to visit his father.

He was pretty sure that his father would like her because really, what's _not_ to like about Cia?

He had no doubt that his father would like her, but he was a little worried about _how much_ he would like her.

So he let out a sigh of relief when he visited his father and he greeted him with a big smile.

He can still remember the words his father said. Maybe he'll remember them for the rest of his life.

 _Your girl is awesome, Johnny. And she has some guts!_

Just thinking about them makes Johnny smile.

And of course he noticed that his father went from calling Cia the _not-that-kind-of-girl-kind of girl_ to calling her _his_ \- _Johnny's - girl_.

He must say, he likes how that sounds.

"Awwwwww, you have that dreamy look on your face again, Johnny!" a voice makes him snap out of his thoughts.

A voice he knows all too well.

A voice that _loves_ to tease him every now and then.

Okay, _a lot_ , although the teasing level has decreased a lot since Ash and Cia started their girls' nights.

"And you have that teasing ring in your voice again, Ash!" he replies, playfully rolling his eyes when he turns to the female porcupine.

"How are you?" he asks with a warm smile as they enter the theater together.

"Good, good," she replies. "But the more important question is, how are you?"

Johnny shrugs. "I'm fine."

It surprises him a bit that Ash didn't emphasize the _you_ to give it some teasing ring. And there's the mischievous sparkle missing in her eyes, too.

Which means Ash is serious.

"Really?" she asks. "You have a lot going on. The work on your album, your show starting in two weeks, the work in the garage. That's not nothing."

Johnny rolls his eyes, but this time, it's not playfully.

"You sound like Cia," he says. "She said almost the same to me yesterday during lunch. Because, obviously, I look very tired."

"That, you do."

Johnny groans. "I said I'm fine."

"You getting enough sleep?"

Okay, he isn't sure about that. He _does_ have a lot to do, that's true. And that he doesn't miss a chance to have sex with Cia doesn't really contribute to his sleeping hours.

But who could blame him? The sex's amazing, and he missed out on it for way too long. He has a lot to catch up on.

"Johnny?" Ash asks.

He shrugs. "I guess. I get a few hours of sleep every night."

"A few hours? Johnny, that's not enough!"

Johnny really doesn't want to have a discussion about this with Ash.

He'd prefer she'd tease him.

Because that's what Ash usually does. And that she doesn't do it now means he must _really_ look tired.

There must a be a way of getting her back to teasing him.

He almost laughs when an idea forms in his head.

He looks down on Ash with a smirk.

"What can I say?" he says with a little shrug. "I have a _lot_ to catch up on."

He winks.

Ash looks at him for a moment, her eyes wide until she bursts into laughter.

"So I've been told!" she replies, playfully bumping into him. Because of their size difference her shoulder hits his thigh, but it's enough to make him trip a bit.

"Hey!" he protests, bumping into her in return.

He just might have underestimated his own strength because Ash stumbles a few steps to the side.

"Oh! Sorry, Ash!" he calls out immediately.

Ash just laughs. "No, it's fine. I deserved that, I guess."

"Oh, by the way," she goes on when she's calmed down. "I'll come help at the garage after rehearsals today before Cia and I meet for another girls' night." She smirks. "I bet I'll be told a bit more about your catching up, then." And now it's Ash who winks.

Johnny just rolls his eyes.

He's glad that Ash stopped demanding _details_ from him, but knowing that she and Cia talk about all these details during their girls' nights is still something he doesn't like that much. But Cia is so happy when she and Ash meet up and she even said she thinks that she and Ash are going to be great friends, that he really doesn't want to ruin this for her by telling her what she can talk about with Ash and what she can't. Besides, Ash would start bugging him for details again if she doesn't get them from Cia. And he would like this even less.

So yes, he's sure he can handle two girls talking about some _details_ involving him.

Ash makes him snap out of his thoughts again.

"Take care, Johnny!" she says with a wave before she turns to the stairs leading to the rehearsal rooms.

"You too, Ash!" he replies.

* * *

Because Ash and Cia have another girls' night, Johnny decides to work on his album a bit after he's finished his work at the garage for that day.

So he settles down at the old keyboard he's bought a while ago. He'd prefer a piano, but he doesn't have the money for that yet.

He tries out a few melodies that came to his mind when he read Cia's lyrics.

After a while he's starting to feel really tired, but he wants to get at least one more song done tonight.

He yawns before he gets back to work. And yawns again.

When his phone beeps, he jumps, realizing he must have dozed off with his head resting on the keys.

He wipes over his eyes before he looks at his phone. He received a text message from Cia.

 _\- Still awake?_

 _\- Yes, why?_

 _\- Mind if I come over?_

 _\- Not at all._

 _\- Great! See you in a bit!_

 _\- Can't wait!_

* * *

He barely lets her enter the apartment before he pulls her into a kiss.

He can just as well give her and Ash a little more fodder for conversation, can't he?

When they break the kiss, Cia looks at him with a smile.

"Heh, what's gotten into you?" she asks.

"Oh, I thought you might need a few more stories to share with Ash."

Cia giggles, but then her face turns serious and she frowns.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

"Why?" he asks with a roll of his eyes. "Because I look really tired?"

"Actually, you look exhausted," Cia says.

"So?" he asks with a shrug before he leans in to kiss her again, but Cia pulls away.

"Change of plans," she says. "You need some sleep."

Johnny rolls his eyes again. "Cia, I'm fine."

And then he gives away the lie by yawning.

"Yeah, I can see that," Cia says as she wriggles out of his embrace.

She grabs his hand.

"Come on, let's put you to bed," she says.

He opens his mouth to say something, but she doesn't give him the chance.

"And no," she tells him. "That was no invitation for sex."

Johnny groans. "You are no fun!"

He lets her pull him to the bedroom anyway.

"You know how much fun I can be," she replies as they walk up to the bed. "But _you_ ," - she pushes him down on the bed - "need some sleep first."

"And how is _that_ supposed to help me calm down enough to actually fall asleep?" he asks with a little laugh when Cia starts undressing him.

"Hey, I can't let you sleep in your jeans and jacket," she replies.

When she leaves his boxers on, he lets out a frustrated groan. "Come on, Cia!"

"No," she says, pushing him down on the mattress again when he tries to sit up.

After that she lies down next to him.

Johnny rolls on his side to have a better look at her.

Cia does the same, placing a hand on his cheek.

"Aren't you going to get out of your clothes?" he asks. "Because I don't think I can let you sleep in your jeans and T-shirt," he adds with a smirk.

"I will," Cia says, gently stroking his cheek with her thumb. "Once you've fallen asleep."

"I swear I'm not that tired," he replies, trying really hard to keep his drooping eyelids open.

"Hm-hm," Cia makes as she continues stroking his cheek.

He has to say it's a nice feeling.

"I don't need much sleep," he goes on, finally giving up the fight against his drooping eyelids. He can open his eyes again later when Cia agrees they have a little fun together.

"Hm-hm," Cia makes again.

"Really," he tries again, wondering if his tongue has always felt so heavy, "we can ha…"

He doesn't get a chance to finish the sentence because a warm darkness falls over him as he drifts off to sleep.

* * *

When he wakes, he finds the bed empty. As he sits up he wonders if he just dreamt that Cia came over last night.

But no, that can't be true. If he dreamt it they for sure would have had sex.

Because that's what usually happens in his dreams.

He gets out of the bed and leaves the bedroom.

He finds Cia in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.

"Good morning!" he greets her.

"Good morning!" she replies with a smile. "Now you look a lot better than yesterday."

"Yeah, several hours of sleep actually seem to do wonders."

Cia laughs. "I could have told you, but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have listened."

"Probably not," he replies as he walks up to her and places a quick kiss on her lips.

"I'll go take a shower before breakfast," he tells her. "And I wouldn't mind some company."

And with that he pulls her into another kiss, a demanding passionate kiss, and when he breaks it, Cia takes a few deep breaths.

"I…," she begins and he loves that she's still a bit breathless.

"I might take you up on that offer," she says.

"Great," he says, wanting to let go of her, but that moment, Cia wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him into a kiss that is in no way inferior to his kiss from before.

"Change of plans," she says when they have to come up for air. "The shower can wait."

"Couldn't agree more," Johnny replies as he lifts her up. She immediately wraps her legs around his hips

Somehow, he has the feeling that this is going to be one great day.


	18. Chapter 18

_Cia_

Cia wouldn't have thought it would be so hard to refuse Johnny sex. Okay, she did think it would be hard. She just thought if she kept telling herself it wouldn't be, would make it easier.

It didn't work.

But still, she had to refuse Johnny a few times over the last two weeks or he would have collapsed due to sleep-deprivation. And she didn't want that.

But things should get easier after tonight.

Because Tonight's the premiere of Johnny's show at the Moon Theater.

She checks her reflection in the mirror for the about seventh time that evening. And like before she's happy with her looks.

First, she thought of wearing a dress for the special occasion, but then she decided against it.

Johnny's going to be very nervous, and maybe seeing her in totally different style would only add to his nervousness. And she doesn't want that.

Besides, she's pretty nervous herself. The first play she co-wrote is going to premiere tonight.

She feels her heart pick up some speed at this thought, but she tries to push the thought away.

She's going to meet Johnny before the premiere, and he doesn't need a bag of nerves of a girlfriend in his dressing room, especially since he has to be so much more nervous than her. It's him on stage after all. She's just there to support Johnny and to see how the audience likes Mr. Moon's and her play.

The latter is just a bonus, though. Mainly, she's there for Johnny.

So there's no need to be nervous or _that_ nervous, right?

At least that's what she's trying to tell herself.

It doesn't really work, though.

At least wearing something she feels comfortable in, makes her feel a bit better - a grey pair of jeans, a black satin blouse, and a pair of black ballerinas. It looks nice, but not too fancy.

This should do.

She takes a deep breath, trying to calm her hammering heart.

That doesn't really work either, so she tries again. Which doesn't help either.

In the end, she leaves the apartment with a hammering heart.

* * *

In front of Johnny's dressing room, Cia tries again to calm herself down.

When that doesn't work, she settles for at least pretending that she's doing fine.

She takes a deep breath that helps just as much as the ones before - as in nothing - and knocks.

"Come in!" she hears Johnny's voice.

She opens the door and enters the room.

Johnny turns around to look at her, a smile spreading on his face.

"Wow, look at you!" he says. "You look beautiful!"

"Thank you!" she replies as she walks up to him and wraps her arms around his neck.

"You look very handsome, too!"

Instead of his usual clothes, Johnny is wearing jeans and a white shirt.

She remembers how he told her about the fitting and how he'd been so glad when there had been no rhinestones on his outfits for the show.

Seeing Rosita and Gunter on stage gave him some weird ideas.

"Thanks," Johnny says before he gently kisses her.

Cia must admit, she's amazed to find him somehow calm. Okay, he does look a little nervous, but she was afraid he'd be a nervous wreck by now.

"I am surprised on how calm you are," she says when they break the kiss.

"Or maybe I'm finally getting the hang of this whole acting-stuff," Johnny replies with a grin.

Cia laughs. "Not gonna lie, your acting did get better, but you're definitely better when you're just doing your thing on stage. And that's singing and playing the piano."

The moment the words have left her mouth, Cia wants to slap herself.

Instead of being happy that Johnny is reasonably calm, she tells him that he isn't that good at acting?

 _Way to go, Cia, you idiot!_

But Johnny just laughs. "I know. And that's why I'm so calm," he tells her. "Because when this show is over, I only need to do four more until I can go back to what I'm _really_ good at."

Cia lets out the breath she's been holding.

"Besides, I'm doing okay on stage. I should get this done without any disasters."

"I'm so glad," Cia says before she pulls him into another kiss.

"And how about you?" Johnny asks when they come up for air. "You nervous?"

"Me?" Cia asks. "Not at all! I'm fine! It's just a show I did some co-writing for. No big deal!"

"Yeah, that it's no big deal is the reason why your voice is a little too loud and shrill," Johnny replies.

"Okay, you got me! I'm terrified!" Cia says, squeezing her eyes shut.

Johnny chuckles and pulls her a little closer so she can bury her face in his chest - which she all too willingly does.

"They're going to love your show," Johnny whispers into her ear. "It's amazing!"

"If you say so!" Cia replies, burying her face even deeper in his chest.

That moment, there's a knock on the door and they pull apart a little.

Cia turns her head to look at the door.

"Come in!" Johnny calls out, and Mr. Moon enters the dressing room.

Cia almost laughs when she sees that the koala has his eyes squeezed shut.

"Two minutes, Johnny," he says.

"Thank you, Mr. Moon!" Johnny replies. "But, uhm, why do you have your eyes closed?"

"Ah, with you two in the same room, I decided to not take a risk," Mr. Moon replies before he leaves the room again, bumping into the door frame with his shoulder on his way out.

When the door is closed again, Cia and Johnny laugh before they share another quick kiss.

"Break a leg!" Cia says to Johnny.

Instead of a reply he pulls her into another kiss.

* * *

Johnny does great, better than she would have imagined. Granted, the acting and the dancing aren't his strong suit, but he makes up for it when he's singing.

And Cia absolutely _loves_ the ballad he's singing at the piano in act two.

Because it's so _Johnny_.

It almost makes her cry.

At the after-party, Johnny is greeted by a round of applause.

Cia stays on the sidelines, watching Johnny how his friends talk to him.

She chuckles when she sees how Ash playfully bumps into Johnny and she can hear her "Way to go, Johnny!" even from her place in the background.

Johnny smiles and talks to them, but then he looks around, searching the room, and it takes Cia a little too long to realize that he's looking for her.

She smiles when he sets eyes on her and Johnny returns the smile.

He holds out his hand.

Cia hesitates a moment because this is Johnny's moment. He shouldn't have to share the spotlight with her now.

But Johnny frowns when she doesn't walk up to him right away, and when he's about to take a step into her direction, Cia quickly sets into motion.

Johnny's smile deepens when he takes her hand and pulls her even closer, putting one arm around her hips.

Cia must say, she likes his new confidence.

"Well, the good thing is you didn't set the bar too high," Mike says.

Johnny laughs. "Coming from you, Mike, that's almost a compliment."

"Au contraire," Mike replies. "That _is_ a compliment!"

Johnny laughs a little more.

"I hope you did a good job on rewriting that show," Mike addresses Cia. "So far, the writing wasn't so bad."

"And you know, coming from Mike, that's a compliment," Johnny adds, and Cia laughs.

"In that case, thank you, Mike," Cia says.

She's a bit surprised when Johnny pulls her even closer.

It sends a pleasant shiver down her spine, though.

And somehow, she can't wait to move this party somewhere more private.


	19. Chapter 19

_Okay, I need to apologize, this chapter wasn't supposed to turn out that long! I guess I just couldn't stop myself. XD Please forgive me._

 _Also, I am referring to the mini-movie "Love At First Sight" featured on the DVD and Blu-Ray release of "Sing". I highly recommend you watch it. It's super-cute! ^^ But if you don't have the chance to watch it, I do think you can still understand what's going on. And if not, you can always look up the summary on the Sing-wikia-page or send me a PM and ask. :)_

* * *

 _Johnny_

Johnny is glad when his five shows are over. Granted, he enjoyed it more than he would have thought , and yes, he did even better than he would have imagined, but in the end, he's glad when he's done with his last show.

Because it means he can go back to the things he's really good at, the things he loves to do. And that's singing and playing the piano.

And at the moment, this means working on his first album.

And he loves that, too.

It even gives him more time to work in the garage.

It's coming along great and they should be able to open the youth center soon.

Gunter even started working on his dancing routine with Rosita's kids.

Johnny walked into one of their rehearsals yesterday, and it was too cute.

Maybe he'll watch their rehearsal tomorrow, just because now he has the time to do so.

And because while his workload has decreased a bit, Cia's has escalated.

She has to work in the office the whole day now because Ms. Crawly sprained her ankle and can't work at the moment.

Mr. Moon called her last week telling her about this.

Apparently, Ms. Crawly was at a dance night with her new boyfriend and had a little accident there.

Johnny still has to get used to the fact that Ms. Crawly has a boyfriend now. Although he is a bit proud that his idea of online-dating did work for her. Okay, it didn't work out as planned, but it still worked, somehow. Without the online-dating, Ms. Crawly would have never run into Herman.

So yes, his plan did work out, just not as planned.

He can live with that as long as Ms. Crawly is happy.

Which obviously, she is. He loves the dreamy look on her face when she tells him about Herman.

And he's starting to understand Ash. Okay, he would never tease Ms. Crawly about her boyfriend or ask for more details - heck, no! -, but it always makes him smile when he sees that look on Ms. Crawly's face.

Ash probably just has another way of showing that she's happy for him.

He checks the bag he's prepared for Ms. Crawly. A box of chocolates, some muffins, her favorite tea, yes, this should do.

"You sure it's okay if I come along?" Cia asks.

He is feeling a bit bad that on her free afternoon, he's visiting Ms. Crawly, but he visits her almost every day, and he owes Ms. Crawly so much.

Besides, he wants to visit her. He wants to see if she's doing better.

What surprised him was that Cia didn't get angry when he told her about it.

He suggested she joined him, though. Okay, it's not the same as spending the afternoon with Cia, but it's the closest he can get.

"Of course!" he says. "The more the merrier!"

"If you say so," Cia replies.

"Cia, if you don't want to come…," he begins, but Cia doesn't let him finish.

"I want to come!" she says quickly. "I'm just not sure Ms. Crawly wants me there."

"Oh, come on! You two get along just fine now!"

"In the office, yes, but that's not the same as getting along _outside_ of the office."

"I'm pretty sure Ms. Crawly will be happy to see you."

He places a quick kiss on Cia's lips to emphasize his words.

Maybe, just maybe it's because he wants her to come with him. Because that way, they would still spend some time together.

"Okay." Cia sighs. "Let's go!"

* * *

Herman opens the door for them, immediately leaving for the kitchen to prepare some glasses of lemonade for them.

Johnny leads Cia to the living room where Ms. Crawly is lying on the couch, her sprained ankle propped up on pillow.

"Johnny, Cia!" she greets them with a big smile. "Hello, hello!"

"Hi there, Ms. Crawly!" Johnny says, handing her the bag. "I brought you something."

Ms. Crawly checks the contents of the box, shaking her head a little. "Johnny, if you keep up bringing me chocolates I am for sure going to gain weight!" she says, wagging her finger at him in a playful way.

"I can't see a problem there, Ms. Crawly," he says. "You're way too thin anyway!"

Ms. Crawly laughs and places the bag on the coffee table.

"So what's new? How's the work at the theater, Cia?"

Cia jumps a little when Ms. Crawly addresses her, Johnny sees it from the corner of his eye.

"Good, good," she replies. "I got all the documents ready for accounting today."

"Oh, that's good," Ms. Crawly says. "This is always such a tedious work."

"It's fine, really, and now you don't have to worr…"

That moment, Cia's phone rings. She takes it out of her pocket. She checks the caller ID and frowns.

"Don't you want to take it?" Johnny asks.

Cia shakes her head. "It's my mom. I can call her back later."

She rejects the call and turns back to Ms. Crawly.

"What I was trying to say, you don't have to worry about accounting for a little whi…"

Again, her phone rings, again, she rejects the call.

Johnny frowns at that.

"You don't have to worry about accounting for a little while now," Cia finally manages to say, but then her phone rings again.

Johnny can see that she wants to reject it again which seems a little weird.

"Maybe it's important," he says.

"Or she's in one of her persistent moods," Cia says with a sigh. "Either way, I better take that, or she'll just keep calling."

She turns around, answering her phone.

"Hi, Mom! … Well, I'm visiting a friend right now. I can't talk for lo… Yes, he's here, too. … No, Mom, it's …"

Johnny turns back to Ms. Crawly.

"You doing better?" he asks.

"Yes, yes, very, actually," she replies. "It doesn't hurt as much any longer. I think I can try to walk again soon."

"That's awesome!" Johnny says.

Suddenly, Cia is back near him.

"Here!" she says, holding out her phone to him. "She insists she has to talk to you."

"Who? Me?" He looks at her with wide eyes. "But I … I've never talked to your mom before!"

"I know. Sorry." Cia places the phone in his hand, and Johnny just stands there for a moment, looking at it.

"Johnny?" Cia asks, and he turns to her. "She's waiting."

"Oh yes, right!" he says quickly as he brings the phone to his ear.

He takes a few steps away from the couch.

"Hello?" he says, only thinking that maybe he should have sounded a bit surer. "This is Johnny." He's glad that at least the second part doesn't sound like a question.

"Hello, I'm Sandra, Cia's mother," a female voice said. "Nice to finally hear your voice. Johnny, see, my husband and I are in the city on Wednesday, so I was wondering, would it be okay if we met you and Cia for dinner? Our treat, of course."

Johnny is a bit surprised that Cia's mom asks him this instead of Cia, but on the other hand, he has no idea how these things are usually handled with your girlfriend's parents.

"If we are free, sure. But I need to talk to Cia first," he replies.

"Of course," she replies. "Well, it was nice talking to you, Johnny. And maybe we'll meet in person on Wednesday. Bye!"

"Bye, Mrs. Clawson!"

He hangs up and walks back to Cia and Ms. Crawly, still wondering if it's normal that Cia's mom asked him instead of her about their plans on Wednesday. But well, what does he know?

"What did she want?" Cia asks as he hands her back her phone.

"She and your father are in the city on Wednesday and she asked if we are free to meet them for dinner."

"And you said no, right?" Cia asks.

"No, I said I need to talk to you first," he replies.

"You did _what!?_ "

The increase of volume makes him jump a little.

Herman who was just entering the room with a tray full of glasses, almost drops it.

And Ms. Crawly's eyes widen so much that her glass eye pops out. She manages to catch it, though.

Cia looks from Herman to Ms. Crawly. "I'm sorry!" she says quickly. "It's just that," - she turns back to Johnny - "everything that's not an outright no is a yes to my mom! So you just agreed to have dinner with my parents!"

"No, really, Cia, I didn't agree."

He breaks off when Cia's phone beeps.

She checks it, and Johnny for sure doesn't like the way she twists her mouth.

"I just said…," he tries to go on, but Cia holds up her hand and he falls silent.

" _Hello, sweetheart! Your boyfriend was so nice to tell me that you are free on Wednesday, so I booked a table at Chez Charles at seven for the four of us. See you on Wednesday! Love, Mom,_ " she reads from the display, then she presses her mouth into a thin line and looks up at him.

"Oops," is all he manages to say.

"Yeah, _oops_ is right," she says, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Cia, I…"

He doesn't get to finish the sentence because Cia turns to Ms. Crawly. "I hope you get better soon, Ms. Crawly! And as I said, you don't have to worry about accounting for a little while now."

She walks up to Herman, takes a glass of lemonade from the tray, emptying it in one gulp.

"Thanks for the lemonade, Herman!" she says.

"Bye!" she says and then she leaves.

Johnny is still looking after her when next to him, Ms. Crawly starts laughing.

He looks at her with a frown. "What's so funny?"

"Well, it's funny to see that even you two get into arguments sometimes," she replies, putting her glass eye back in. "You're usually so lovey-dovey."

"Actually, that was our first argument," he replies. "And I have absolutely no idea what I am supposed to do now."

"Give her some time to cool off, then try to get on her good side again." She grabs the bag he brought her, holding it up. "Some chocolates can do wonders."

"Cia doesn't really like chocolates," Johnny replies.

"You can always try flowers," Herman says as he walks up to them.

"She doesn't like flowers either, because she doesn't like that they die after two days."

"Complicated girl, huh?" Ms. Crawly laughs. "Then think of something that'll get her into a good mood. It should help."

"Okay," Johnny says, taking a glass of lemonade from Herman's tray, taking a long sip. He doesn't really taste it, he just needs to do something because all the things he can think of that would get Cia into a good mood are things he doesn't want to mention in front of Ms. Crawly. Not to mention that he isn't sure if those things are even option when Cia is mad at him.

* * *

It's kind of weird to show up at Cia's place after that, but he needs to talk to her.

She doesn't wait for him at the door like she usually does, but the door is slightly open, so he takes that as a hint that he can enter on his own.

He finds her sitting on her couch with her laptop on her lap, staring at the screen. She's typing, but not tapping away like she usually does.

Johnny still doesn't know what he should do now, so he takes a deep breath and decides to just try something.

Carefully, he walks up behind the couch, slowly wrapping his arms around her, snuggling his face into her neck.

She lets it happen so he decides he might be on the right track.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" he asks in a low voice. "I'm not sure I understand."

Cia sighs. "I guess I'm … scared."

"Scared?" he repeats. Now he's pretty sure he _doesn't_ understand. Why would she be scared?

"Yes," Cia says and turns her head to look at him. "You are going to meet my mom. My mom! And she is … well, _my mom_ , and what if she's so annoying that you decide I'm not worth the trouble and break up with me?"

"What?"

"I mean, it's my mom, and she can be pretty annoying," Cia goes on. "And you know, she barely likes anything I do. She's just so hard to please! And what if she doesn't like you and wants us to break up…"

He doesn't let her finish and instead seals her mouth with a kiss.

She tenses a bit, but when she responds, Johnny only deepens the kiss.

When they come up for air, Cia's already a bit out of breath, something he takes advantage of.

"Cia, I don't care if your mom is annoying or says she wants us to break up, I am not going to break up with you because of our mom."

"You sure?" Cia asks.

"I am. And just so we're clear," - he pulls her into another kiss, a quick, but more passionate one - "you're worth all the trouble."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You're worth all the trouble, too," she says.

"Thanks," he says, putting his hand to her face and gently stroking her cheek.

He laughs a little.

"What's so funny?" Cia asks.

"Well, this was our first argument and the first time we made up again," he says.

"Hmmm, I've heard there's something special couples do after they made up," Cia says, and he absolutely loves the mischievous look in her eyes.

"I'm not sure," he replies with a smirk. "I might need a little hint here."

Instead of a reply, Cia pulls him into a kiss.

Which probably counts as a hint.


	20. Chapter 20

_My dear readers, I need to apologize again because this chapter turned out longer than planned, too. Forgive me! ;)_

* * *

 _Cia_

The days till Wednesday pass way too quickly for Cia's taste, and now it's almost time to leave for the restaurant, and she can feel the panic rising in her chest.

But she better not let that show when Johnny comes to pick her up. Or else he might think she is mad with him again.

Although she never really was mad at him. Okay, maybe a little. But it was more because she was so shocked and afraid.

Because having dinner with her parents, introducing her boyfriend to her dad and her mom - her mom! -, she just had hoped she could stall a bit more. Like, six months or so.

She even thought of somehow finding a way out of the dinner-situation, but then she was afraid that Johnny might take it the wrong way and think that she was embarrassed for him.

Which she isn't. Not at all! How could she be embarrassed for him?

It's just… well, she isn't too fond of Johnny meeting her parents. Okay, she'd be fine with her dad because her dad doesn't talk much and is fine with everything she does.

Her mom, on the other hand, is, well, different.

She was the one who wanted Cia to work at the climbing's school's office. And it took Cia weeks to persuade her mom to let her have this one year off.

And of course her mom wasn't happy when Cia showed up and said she was going to stay in the city and work there and not at the climbing school.

Cia saw it all in the twist of her mother's mouth.

And it was the very first time that Cia insisted and didn't care about the disapproving look in her mother's eyes.

And she has Johnny to thank for that. Without him, she would have never realized how much she does not want to have anything to do with her family's climbing school.

She doesn't know if her mom got it, and in a way, she can understand her. She wants Cia to take the easy, the save way. But Cia doesn't want that.

Helping at Mr. Moon's Theater, the writing for the shows and the writing of the lyrics for Johnny's album, that's what Cia wants.

And she wants Johnny, of course.

More than anything.

Her mom just needs to see that.

But if it was Cia's choice, her mom still wouldn't now that she had a boyfriend now.

She didn't plan on telling her too soon.

Unfortunately, someone recorded Johnny's and Cia's kiss on stage and it was all over social media the next day.

Which was where her brother caught it and showed her mom.

That reminds Cia that she still needs to give her brother a piece of her mind about it the next time she sees him. Or a kick in the ass. She's leaning towards the second option, though.

She still remembers how her mom called her a few days after her and Johnny's kiss on stage.

Her mom kept the conversation casual, just one of her usual calls to ask how Cia is doing.

And then she dropped the bombshell.

And how's your boyfriend doing?

She tried to talk her way out, she really did, but then her mom said she watched the video. And when Cia asked since when her mom was watching videos online, she explained that Christopher had shown her.

Which was the moment when Cia decided to give her brother a piece of her mind. Or a kick in the ass. Still leaning towards the second option.

She checks the time and sighs. Johnny should be here any minute now.

She looks into the mirror.

She's wearing a black short dress, not because that's needed for Chez Charles. It's a fancy restaurant, but not that fancy.

It's because of her mom. That would at least silence any comments on why she doesn't wear dresses more often.

And because it's a special occasion.

Although she could have done without this special occasion for a few more months. Or years.

Again, the panic is rising in her chest, but before she can actually freak out, her phone beeps, and Cia jumps a little.

It's a text from Johnny that he's just arrived.

Cia takes a deep breath, grabs her purse and leaves her apartment.

* * *

When she climbs into the truck, she greets Johnny with a smile, somehow liking his outfit. He's wearing black pants and a burgundy shirt. Perfect for a fancy, but not too fancy restaurant.

And he probably likes what she's wearing, too, because his eyes widen when he looks at her.

"Wow," he says his voice low. Then he clears his throat.

"If I had known you'll be wearing a dress, I would have accidentally agreed to meet your parents for dinner sooner," he says with a little wink.

Cia knows it's supposed to be joke, although she doesn't feel like laughing. She tries, though, but her laugh turn out way too shrill.

Johnny frowns at her.

"Too soon?" he asks.

Cia takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. "Maybe?"

"Hey, I'm sorry," Johnny says, and she feels his hand on her cheek.

Slowly, she opens her eyes again and looks at him.

"Not your fault," Cia says.

It's the truth. She should have warned Johnny about her mom's habit to take anything, but an outright no as a yes.

She remembers so many occasions when her mom set up meetings although she said she had to check her schedule first. Even when it turned out that Cia was otherwise busy. She only tried to tell her mom once that she had, in fact, other plans, but she was so disappointed and told Cia repeatedly so, and of course, she gave Cia that twisted mouth-look that makes her flinch, that in the end, Cia always ended up rescheduling so she could do whatever her mom asked her to do.

Just because Cia didn't say no, a clear no, in the first place.

"I should have warned you," she says to Johnny.

"But still, I should have..."

She doesn't let him finish and places a gentle kiss on his lips.

"No," she says when she pulls away again, "you shouldn't have."

She leans for another kiss, just as gentle, but when she tries to deepen it, Johnny pulls away.

"We should get going," he says, "or we're gonna be late."

Cia nods, managing to keep her mouth from twisting just in time.

So much for her plan on persuading Johnny to skip dinner. Or be very, very late.

* * *

Cia can't help, but not feel right sitting there at the table with her parents and Johnny.

Yes, the greeting had been nice and warm and the conversation has been pretty polite so far, but she knows for sure, that it isn't going to stay that way.

Something is going to happen, something like...

"So, Johnny, what's your family up to?" her mom asks.

Something like that, probably.

Cia tenses up.

She didn't tell Johnny to keep his criminal past a secret or the fact that his father is in prison because, first, she doesn't want him to lie, and second, her mom probably knows anyway. She most certainly knows anyway because when she saw the video of the kiss, she for sure did some research.

Which raises the question why she asks this question now.

It just makes Cia tense up even more.

Under the table Johnny grabs her hand, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.

When she relaxes a bit, Johnny speaks up.

"My mother died when I was five, and my father is in jail," he says while he keeps stroking her hand.

"I'm sorry to hear that about your mother. As for your father, that's … too bad," her mom replies, and there's something in the ring of her voice that makes Cia tense up a bit more again.

"Innocently?" she asks, and Cia thinks she's starting to understand what her mom is up to.

"No," Johnny replies with a little shake of his head. "You see, my father had this … business. Needless to say this is just a fancy way of saying that he and his gang did some things that weren't … uhm … legal. I was part of it, although I never really wanted to be. I just didn't know any other way. Until I got this chance at the Moon Theater and realized that music was my way out. But it took me long, too long, maybe."

Johnny sighs, and Cia gives his hand a little squeeze.

"I don't know if you've heard," he goes on, "but I'm turning my family's garage into a youth center. And my past is the reason why I'm doing this. I want to give others the chance to find out their way out of this sooner than I did. I … I'm not sure if this makes sense to you, Mrs. Clawson, but that's how it is."

"It does," Cia's mom says. "Thanks for sharing, Johnny."

Johnny replies with a smile.

Cia relaxes a bit and even more when their conversation turns around less tricky topics, like Johnny's career and her writing.

She's almost starting to feel good, a feeling that immediately evaporates when her mom speaks up.

"If you'll excuse me for a bit," she says, "I need to go to the ladies' room. Cia, care to join me?"

Cia can literally feel each and every one of her muscles tense up at that.

This means that mer mother wants to talk to her in private.

And that's something she really doesn't like.

But resistance is futile, and so she yields up to her fate and nods.

* * *

Cia ponders on just making it out of the ladies' room before her mom is finished, but when she steps out of the booth, her mom is already waiting for.

Okay, she's washing her hands, but Cia knows that she's, in fact, waiting for her.

Cia washes her hands, waiting for her mom to speak up, and she doesn't have to wait long.

"Well, this Johnny...," she starts, and Cia feels her chest tighten as she tries to figure out what words her mother is going to say next.

Is not the right guy for you?

Has a criminal past; you need to stay away from him?

Is not a snow leopard; what were you thinking?

She doesn't like either of the options.

"...seems to be a great young male," her mother goes on and Cia's jaw drops.

"Wh-what?" she manages to say, but her mouth stays open when the word is out.

Her mom smiles at her. "He didn't lie about his past which I really appreciate."

So that was what her mom did back there. She tested Johnny's honesty.

If Cia weren't so shocked by her mother's words, she'd for sure twist her mouth at that, but her facial muscles refuse to obey.

Her mom smiles. "And he's really into you," she says. "I can tell by the way he looks at you. Not to mention that you're really into him. You have the same look in your eyes." She laughs a little.

"You-," - Cia clears her throat because her mouth feels a bit dry. But at least she got her mouth working again - "You're okay with it? I mean, with Johnny and me being a couple?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" her mom asks back.

"Because he's not a snow leopard," Cia says.

Her mom rolls her eyes. "Geez, Cia, how old do you think I am?"

Cia wants to protest that she, of course, knows how old she is, but her mother goes on before she gets a chance.

"Him not being a snow leopard would have been a problem a hundred years ago, not today. And not for me."

"But he has a criminal past," Cia adds. She doesn't even know why she's doing that. Maybe the fact that she can't believe what she's hearing has something to do do with it.

"Yes, you said it - past. It's over."

"I… I…," Cia tries again, but she has no idea what to say, so she stops. She manages to close her mouth this time, though.

Her mom smiles at her. "Cia, all I can say is that he's good for you. I knew something had changed when you showed up back home and told us that you didn't want to work at the climbing school. Did I like it? No. Did I hope you might change your mind again? Yes. But now seeing you, seeing how happy you are with your work, your new life, with him, what mother would I be to say anything against it?"

"Okay," Cia says, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Besides, with his father in jail, you aren't going to have other plans for Christmas, you two are going to spend the holidays with us, right?"

Her mom puts it as a question, but Cia knows her better than that.

She mentally rolls her eyes.

"I'll talk to him about it, okay?" she says, knowing pretty well that she just agreed to spend the holidays at her family's place with Johnny.

"Good," her mom says. "Now let's get back. You know your father isn't the talkative kind of male, and I don't want your boyfriend having to keep the conversation going all on his own much longer That'd be too harsh."

"Okay," Cia replies with a little laugh.

When they enter the guest room again, they find Johnny and Cia's father talking excitedly.

It's another thing that surprises Cia.

As they get closer to their table, she can overhear that they are talking about one her father's competitions that was broadcasted live some years ago.

"Yes, my father's friend and I watched it at the garage, and boy, that was amazing!" Johnny says.

"I had no idea someone would even remember that!" her father replies.

"Are you kidding me? That was climbing at its best!"

Before Cia can take her seat again, her mother leans closer to her.

"You remember when I said that he's good for you?" she whispers into her ear.

Cia nods lightly.

"Scratch that," her mom goes on. "He's a keeper."


	21. Chapter 21

_Johnny_

A few weeks have passed since Johnny met Cia's parents and he's still smiling when he thinks about how well that dinner went. He likes Cia's parents, especially her father with whom he can talk about the climbing competitions he watched in the garage when his father's gang was over and a competition was on.

It brings back some memories, though, some sad memories. Back then, Johnny somehow didn't grasp where his father's business could bring them. Yes, he knew the cops could arrest them and that they could end up in prison, but it didn't make sense. He didn't think it could _actually_ happen.

And then it did, and now he knows better.

So does his father and the gang. Which is good.

It's still sad that his father is in prison, but he'll be out one day.

Hopefully, it won't take too long.

Their lawyer is confident.

So he should be confident, too, but his father did escape from prison before and the sentence hasn't been passed yet, so…

Johnny shakes his head, trying to push these thoughts away.

There's nothing he can do about that now.

Besides, he has something else to do now, and that's the work in the garage.

And after that he has something special planned for Cia for tonight, something he wanted to do and maybe should have done a while ago, but now after meeting her parents he finally feels confident enough for it.

Or close enough to feeling confident.

But it feels right now.

Tonight, he'll invite Cia to a picnic under the stars. Which means they'll have to drive a bit out of the city so all the lighting wouldn't interfere with the starlight, but that's okay. Although he isn't looking forward to the drive because he for sure is going to be nervous. But that's okay. He'll manage somehow.

Plus there are still a few things he needs to make this perfect.

And it _has_ to be perfect.

One of the things is a cloud-free night sky. That's why he wants to do it today. The weather report promised a clear night sky.

Another thing is the copy of his album he managed to get earlier today - a week before the official release-party from the label. He lets his hand slide into the pocket of his jacket, feeling for the CD-case.

Then just some minor things needed for the picnic, like food and drinks and a blanket.

He's fine with lowering his sights on picnic-stuff, even the night sky if he has to. If it should rain despite anything, they could have their picnic in the truck. Or eat at home. Although he'd prefer the night sky.

But the one thing he really, really needs is his album.

He'll let his music play in the background when he and Cia have their picnic on the bed of his truck and then he'll give Cia the CD cover with the booklet and ask her to read the dedication.

 _For everyone who has a place in my heart and for the one who owns this heart._

And when she looks up, he'll look deeply into her eyes and tell her these three little, but so very important words.

 _I love you!_

His heart skips a beat when he thinks about actually saying those words, but it's okay.

He can do this.

He _wants_ to do this!

With a determined look he enters the garage, looking forward to a day full of hard work.

It'll keep him busy, although he's pretty sure he'll go over his plans for tonight over and over again in his head.

* * *

And so he does. Every few minutes he lets his hand slide into his pocket to make sure the copy of his album is still there.

At some point, he takes off his jacket so he can't do that any longer.

It doesn't really work because he gets up at least twice within thirty minutes to make sure the copy is still there in the pocket of his jacket.

At least no one else is working at the garage at the moment, so no one can ask questions because this weird behavior would for sure raise some questions.

Johnny sighs.

Maybe if he takes the copy out of his pocket and actually look at it, maybe even read the dedication in the booklet would stop him from running to his jacket so often.

So he produces the album, opens the cover and takes the booklet out.

He smiles when he reads the dedication, although yes, it does make his heart beat faster in his chest and he can feel the nervousness rise in his body, but it's not threatening.

Okay, not much.

"Hey, is that your album?" a voice asks and Johnny jumps, almost letting cover and booklet fall.

He turns his head to face Meena, a bit surprised by the fact that she's standing that close to him and he didn't even hear her.

"Oh, sorry!" she quickly says, putting her ears over her face and lowering her eyes to the ground. "I-I didn't mean to startle you."

Her behavior makes the alarm bells ring in his head.

Yes, Meena is way more confident now, but she still has her moments when she simply shrinks into herself, her shyness getting the best of her.

"No, no, it's okay!" he says quickly. "I'm just a little jumpy today, that's all."

He smiles at her, hoping it will make her open up again.

It works a little because she removes her ears from her face a little, but not much. And she keeps her eyes lowered to the ground.

"Okay," she replies, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Johnny takes a step closer to her and gently places a hand on her shoulder.

"Meena, it's fine," he says. "Really."

Meena raises her gaze and looks at him, finally returning his smile.

She points at the CD in his hand with her trunk.

"Can I have a look?"

"Oh, well, I…" Johnny breaks off, trying to find the right words. He doesn't like that he has to refuse her, but he has to.

He clears his throat. "I'm sorry, Meena," he says. "But I want Cia to be the first to have look at it. I mean she wrote the lyrics and all."

 _And it's an important part of my plan on telling Cia that I love her_ , he adds mentally.

"I see," Meena says, still smiling, and her smile doesn't look weak at all, it's just as warm as before. So Johnny thinks she really understands.

"It must be amazing, though," she goes on, "holding your first album in your hands."

"It is!" Johnny says. He gives Meena's shoulder a little pat before he removes his hand. "You'll find out soon enough."

He isn't sure if he's imagining things, but there's something glistening in Meena's eyes, and didn't her smile just turn into a smirk?

"Sooner than you thought, maybe," she says. "I had another interview yesterday, and afterwards a label called telling me they are interested in signing me up for my first album."

"And you only tell me _now!?_ " Johnny calls out. "That's amazing!"

"I know!" Meena laughs. "They even said one 'song' has to be me answering fan questions in my singing voice."

"And you're fine with it?"

Meena laughs a little more before she replies by singing her words, "Are you kidding me? That's my image! I am the always singing talent!"

Now it's Johnny's turn to laugh.

"Good, good," he says. "So what are you doing at the garage today?"

Again, Meena replies by singing. "I thought I could help."

Johnny smirks as an idea forms in his head.

He takes a deep breath and sings. "I could need some help with the lighting."

Meena's eyes widen at his sung reply. Then she twists her mouth, throwing her head back in such an exaggerated way that she can't be serious.

"Copycat!" she sings as she walks past him.

"Copygorilla, if anything!" he sings back before he follows her.

Then they both burst into laughter.

* * *

 _So far, so good_ , Johnny thinks right before he and Cia settle down on the blanket spread out on the bed of his truck to eat.

"Let me care for some background music," he says before he jumps from the bed and climbs back into the driver seat. He makes sure to roll down the windows so they really can hear the music. He produces the album from his pocket. Taking a deep breath he puts the CD in, hits play and stuffs the CD-case back into his pocket. Then he moves back to the bed of the truck.

He looks down at Cia, sitting there on the blanket.

And he can't help, but think how beautiful she is.

He sits down next to her.

Any moment now he's going to tell her that he loves her. He just needs to hand her the booklet, let her read the dedication and then tell her.

Easy, right?

No reason to be nervous. No reason that his heart is pounding in his chest. No reason to go over three words over and over in his head.

No reason for all three at the same time. And more.

"Hey!" Cia calls out, making him snap out of his thoughts. "Is that your album?"

"Sure is!" he quickly says, not sure if he managed to keep the nervousness out of his voice. If he's not mistaken he did sound a bit high-pitched.

Cia just smiles at him.

He smiles back at her, and then he remembers that he didn't give her the CD-case.

He's about to do exactly that when his phone rings.

"Oh, sorry!" he calls out. "I forgot to turn it off!"

So instead of the CD-case, Johnny produces his phone.

He isn't going to take the call, of course not! He just wants to decline it and turn off his phone.

But when he looks at the caller-ID, he frowns. He doesn't know this number.

"Sorry, I better take this," he says. "I'll keep it short."

"It's fine," Cia says.

Johnny answers the call, and a male voice asks, " _Am I talking to Jonathan King?"_

"Yes, that's me," Johnny replies.

What this male voice says next, makes Johnny feel like all the strength leaves his body. He grabs his phone even tighter because it feels so heavy all of a sudden, he's afraid he might drop it.

"Thank you," he says when the male voice is done telling him what he needs to know. "I'll be right there."

And with that he ends the call. But it seems like his fingers are moving way too slow and it feels like he's wrapped in some cotton wool or something because he can't hear his music properly any longer. He can't even feel properly any longer.

Has his phone always been this heavy?

But then a word makes it through this cotton wool-feeling.

"Johnny?" Cia asks, and he doesn't miss the concerned ring to her voice.

He looks up, but he can't really see her face. It's just so hard to focus.

"My father," he says and his own voice sounds like someone else is talking, someone far away in the distance. "He had a heart attack."


	22. Chapter 22

_Cia_

 _My father. He had a heart attack._

Johnny's words, the look on his face, it's something Cia is going to remember for the rest of her life. Together with the feeling of her heart sinking and her chest tightening.

From then on, everything happened so fast. The ride back to the city, to the hospital, the search for his father, the talk to the doctor, it all seemed to happen in a flash.

And still, she remembers every detail.

That his father is still in surgery, that the doctors can't say anything for sure yet, that the surgery is probably going to go on for hours.

Now she and Johnny are here in the waiting room.

And Cia feels so very helpless.

Because everything she can do is sit there and watch Johnny pace up and down the room.

If Johnny would be sitting next to her, she could tell him that everything is going to be alright.

It wouldn't be much, but it'd be something.

Or so she's trying to tell herself.

She knows better than that, though.

Yet it's all she can do.

For Johnny.

She really wishes he'd sit down.

But what would it change if he did?

She'd say some words to him that don't mean anything.

Because she doesn't know if everything is going to be alright. No one does at this point, not even the doctors.

So where's the sense in saying something that doesn't mean anything?

It wouldn't make him feel better.

She knows that from experience.

Minute after minute passes and Cia sighs.

She doesn't know Leon well, but he's Johnny's father, and Johnny truly cares for him. That alone would make Cia want for Leon to survive with all her heart.

But with Leon, it's more than that. She really likes him.

When she checks the time on her phone, Cia realizes that another fifteen minutes have passed.

And still, it doesn't look like they'll hear more about Leon anytime soon.

Or like Johnny will sit down soon.

Suddenly, Cia remembers something.

Someone needs to inform the others of what has happened.

It's not much, but it's still something she can do.

For Johnny.

* * *

Ash is the first to reply.

 _We'll be there in 30 minutes._

Cia is a bit surprised by her choice of words, but then another text arrives, from Meena this time, then one from Gunter, one from Rosita, and Cia doesn't wonder about Ash's words anymore.

But the porcupine is right.

They are there thirty minutes later.

All of them.

Rosita, Gunter, Meena, Mr. Moon, Eddie, Ash, Lance, even Mike and his girlfriend.

Although Cia has to admit, Nancy looks very uncomfortable.

Johnny is just pacing down the room, with his back to the glass door, so he doesn't see them coming.

"Johnny," Cia addresses him.

He stops rooted to the spot and twirls around. When he looks at her, his eyes are wide and there's something like hope in them - and a bit of fear.

He's probably thinking she stopped him because of a doctor approaching, and it hurts Cia that she has to disappoint him.

She nods toward the glass door.

"Our friends are here," she says before she gets up.

She walks up to Johnny, coming to a halt next to him.

She wants to be close to him when he's bombarded with questions.

When the door opens and their friends enter, Johnny takes her hand, holding it so tightly it almost hurts,

But Cia doesn't care.

Instead, she gently strokes the back of his hand with her thumb.

Ash is the first to speak up. "How's he doing?"

"Any news?" Mr. Moon asks a second later.

"Is he okay?" Gunter asks almost the same moment.

Cia can feel Johnny tense up next to her. She watches him from the corner of her eye.

"We don't know anything yet," he manages to say, his voice somehow low and a little pressed.

She decides to take over.

"He's still in surgery," she tells their friends. "And it'll go on for a few more hours, probably. So until then, all we can do, is wait."

"Okay," Ash says.

"But he'll be okay, no?" Gunter asks.

Next to her, Johnny tenses up a little more.

She doesn't give him a chance to reply.

"We'll have to wait and see," she says.

"Oh." Gunter casts his eyes down.

"Have you guys eaten? Or are you thirsty?" Rosita asks, and it almost makes Cia smile.

It's just so Rosita that her maternal instinct would kick in and she'd be worried if they've eaten anything.

"No, we haven't, but…"

Rosita doesn't let her finish. "Okay, Ash, Gunter, Meena, come with me. Let's see what we can find here. Some sandwiches, maybe, some drinks, coffee, tea. Let's go!"

When they turn to leave, Cia leads Johnny over to the chairs and they sit down.

Mr. Moon sits down next to Cia, Eddie next to Johnny, and Cia watches how Nancy looks around a bit panicked before Mike jumps up another chair, shrugs out of his jacket and places it on the seat before he helps her up.

Under other circumstances this would have been funny. At least a bit. Mike placing the jacket of his beloved and so very expensive tailored suit - he mentioned that several times to Cia; unasked, of course - on a hospital chair just so his girlfriend would be okay with sitting down?

Under normal circumstances, Cia would have saved that in her brain under things she could use against Mike one day.

Now she only thinks it's cute.

She turns her attention back to Johnny and finds him sitting there with his eyes cast to the floor. She gives his hand a little squeeze, hoping it would make him look at her because then she could smile at him, however weak that smile would have turned out.

Smiles make everything better.

But Johnny keeps his eyes on the floor and just returns the squeeze.

Cia tries to smile at him anyway.

It turns out weaker than she was hoping for.

She leans back a bit, wondering how Ash managed to get them all here so quickly. Or maybe it was Rosita? Or Meena? Maybe Mr. Moon?

She decides it doesn't really matter.

They're here now.

And then she realizes that someone is missing. A familiar iguana isn't around.

Until it hits her that Ms. Crawly is still recovering from her sprained ankle.

Which means Cia should be working at the office tomorrow.

She doesn't like it. She wants to stay with Johnny. No matter what is going to happen tonight, it is going to be one long night for sure, and she wants to be there for Johnny tomorrow.

She turns to Mr. Moon.

"Mr. Moon, I know it's short notice, but would it be okay if I…"

"Take the day off tomorrow?" he finishes her sentence. "Sure, no problem. In fact, take as many days off as you need."

"But then there'll be no one…"

He interrupts by holding up his hand. "I think I can handle a few days without a secretary. It's fine, Cia."

"Thank you, Mr. Moon."

"You're welcome, Cia."

Then she realizes that Ms. Crawly is probably the only one not knowing about what has happened because she doesn't have a mobile phone, and Cia only sent out texts before.

"And could you inform…"

"Ms. Crawly about this? I will."

Cia doesn't know if she likes that Mr. Moon is always interrupting her, but she decides it's okay as long as he gets what she means.

She doesn't feel much like talking anyway.

* * *

Rosita is the first one to leave. She receives a text from Norman, saying one of her piglets refuses to go to sleep before saying goodnight to her. Rosita apologizes about twenty times and tells Johnny that everything is going to be alright at least as many times before she finally leaves.

Next up is Meena because her mother insisted she'd be home before midnight as she has school tomorrow.

Mr. Moon and Eddie volunteer to bring her home.

Mike follows half an hour later because Nancy is close to falling asleep.

Johnny barely notices. He keeps his eyes lowered to the floor. And if his furrowed brow and his tense body weren't enough proof of what is going on in his head, the way his head shoots towards the glass door whenever someone passes, would.

He's still holding Cia's hand, and every now and then, Cia gives it a little squeeze or strokes over the back of his hand with her thumb.

She's just glad that she managed, with the help of a very persistent Rosita, to coax Johnny into eating half a sandwich and drinking some soda.

This is going to be one long night.

It's past midnight when Lance gets up.

"Ash, come on," he says. "We should go, too."

Ash fiercely shakes her head. "No, I'll stay!"

"You haven't been well the last few days, you need your sleep," Lance insists.

"I am fine, Lance!" Ash insists.

Cia turns her head to look at the couple in the moment Lance takes Ash's hand.

She doesn't think she has ever seen Lance so worried before.

Yet she knows Ash. She wouldn't leave. Not as long as Johnny is going through such rough times.

Cia can relate to that, of course.

"Ash, please," Lance says and there is such a concerned ring in his voice it worries Cia bit.

And her worries only increase when Lance goes on.

"I don't want you to collapse again," he says.

Cia can't believe what she's hearing. Ash not being well? Ash _collapsing?_

Why doesn't she know that!? She's Ash's friend! And she doubts that Johnny knows anything about it. He would have mentioned something.

But her attention immediately is back with Johnny when she feels him move a little. She realizes he's looked up again because someone went past the glass door, but the doctor doesn't enter, so Johnny casts his eyes down again.

Cia is pretty sure that he hasn't heard anything of what Lance just said.

Hearing of Ash not being well and collapsing would definitely have made him say something.

And if it'd only be that Ash can leave because he doesn't want her to get sick.

So now it's up to Cia.

"Ash," she says as she looks at the female porcupine, "it's okay. Better go home and get some rest. I'll text you as soon as there are any news, I promise."

Ash looks from her to Lance.

"See?" her boyfriend says. "Cia will let you know."

Ash frowns a little.

"Please, Ash!" Lance says again in this concerned voice that has Cia worried.

The female porcupine sighs.

"Okay," she says with a nod and gets to her feet.

She looks at Cia. "But I want a message the very _moment_ you hear any news!"

"Sure!"

Ash nods again, then she looks at Johnny, but the gorilla doesn't seem to notice.

Ash lets out another sigh, and then she and Lance leave.

Cia doesn't know how much time passes after that, could have been minutes, could have been hours, but all of a sudden, Johnny's head shoots up again, and then he jumps up because a doctor enters.

Cia follows suit, giving Johnny's hand another squeeze.

"Mr. King?" the doctor says, and Johnny nods.

"Your father is out of surgery now," the doctor goes. "It went well, but we can't say anything for sure yet. We'll know more once he wakes up."

"I want so see him," Johnny says.

"Mr. King, your father is at the intensive care unit, I need to inform you…"

"I want so see my dad!" Johnny interrupts him.

"Okay," the doctor says after a moment. "Please follow me."

Cia isn't sure if it's a good idea. She remembers what intensive care units are like, how intimidating all the machines and the tubes can be, how different someone you love looks lying in a hospital bed. Besides, she can't follow Johnny there. She is no family member.

She hates it, but she has to let go of Johnny's hand.

He stops immediately and looks at her.

"I can't go there," Cia explains before she musters something up that she hopes look like an encouraging smile.

Johnny just nods and leaves.

Cia wishes she could join. She really wants to be there for him, but she can't.

So she takes out her phone and sends Ash a message.

* * *

It took Cia ten minutes to persuade Johnny that they leave the hospital for the night once he's back.

Even the doctor said that it's not likely that Johnny's dad is going to wake up tonight, and if he did, they'd call right away.

And still, Johnny wanted to stay. But he looked so miserable and tired, that Cia wanted him to at least get a few hours of sleep at home, a place where he might feel a little bit better and could relax.

It wasn't so hard to persuade Johnny to take a cab, though. Maybe he got it himself that he was in no condition to drive a car.

Right now, Johnny is taking a shower he only agreed to because Cia promised she'd watch his phone, and so she does.

When Johnny comes back, he takes his phone from her hand immediately.

Cia gets up to take a shower herself, but before she can walk past Johnny, he grabs her hand and stops her.

When she turns to him, he places a quick kiss on her lips.

"Thank you!" he says.

"Don't mention it," she says before she continues on her way.

She likes the warm feeling Johnny's lips left on hers. It's comforting.

When she comes back from the bathroom, she finds Johnny fast asleep on the couch. He's still in a sitting position and still holding his phone in his hand.

It looks like he passed out while checking his phone.

Which he probably did.

Cia sits down next to him, carefully takes the phone from his hand and places it on the coffee table.

It might not be the best idea to sleep in a sitting position, but she's so glad that he sleeps at all that she decides not to wake him up. So she just lowers her head to let it rest on Johnny's shoulder.

* * *

She didn't plan on falling asleep herself, but she must have dozed off because she wakes when she feels Johnny stir. She looks at him.

He's still asleep, but the way his body is flinching tells her that he's having a nightmare.

"Johnny," she says, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently shaking him, "wake up, please!"

His eyes shoot open and he looks at her.

"You were having a nightmare," she explains.

Johnny nods, but then he looks around.

"Here," Cia says, grabbing his phone from the coffee table and holding it up so Johnny can see it.

He takes it from her hand and immediately checks it.

Cia grabs his free hand and pulls him to his feet with her as she gets up.

Johnny looks at her, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Come on, you should go to bed," she tells him.

Johnny doesn't even protest and lets her guide him to the bedroom. He puts the phone on the nightstand before he lies down.

When Cia lies down next to him, he's already asleep.

She moves a little closer to him and spends the rest of the night watching over him. Just in case he has another nightmare.


	23. Chapter 23

_Johnny_

In this moment between sleeping and waking, this precious moment where everything seems to be possible, Johnny isn't sure what is true and what isn't. Did his father really have a heart attack? He doesn't want to know, not really, not yet, not here where all is golden and warm and nice.

He just wants to linger a bit longer in this place, wants this moment to stretch for as long as possible.

Then he wakes up and the moment is gone.

Instead, the memories from yesterday, from last night hit him with all their strength.

He immediately lifts his head and looks for his phone.

He finds it on the nightstand and reaches for it.

No missed calls.

He sighs.

He feels movement next to him and turns his head.

Cia has sat up and looks at him.

"Good morning," she says, lifting the corners of her mouth into something he thinks should be a smile. It doesn't really work, though, and he can't blame her.

He is pretty sure he won't be able to get as close to a smile as she, so he doesn't even try.

"Morning," he replies as he sits up himself.

It's the moment he realizes that his left hand, the one not holding his phone, is holding Cia's hand.

They've been holding hands all night, probably.

Wouldn't have been the first time.

As much as he likes the warmth of Cia's hand, as much as it gives him a reassuring feeling, he has to let go now.

They need to get to the hospital.

Fast.

So he gives her hand a little squeeze and lets go.

While he's getting dressed, he can see from the corner of his eye that Cia's doing the same.

When they leave the bedroom, he makes a beeline for the apartment door, but before he can reach it, Cia blocks his way.

"Cia, what are you doing?" he asks, not even trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. "We need to get to the hospital!"

"We will," she replies. "But not before you had some breakfast!"

"I can eat at the hospital!"

"I know you won't. Not properly, at least. So you'll eat here."

"Cia, come on! You can't be serious! I need to…"

"I know," she interrupts him. "But you need to eat, too."

"You do sound like Rosita, you know that?"

He hopes that this comparison would make her snap out of it, but it doesn't.

Cia just shrugs. "She has a point, then."

He opens his mouth to say something, but Cia doesn't let him.

"Breakfast," she says. "Now!"

Going over his options Johnny realizes he doesn't have any, so he gives in.

Teeth-gnashingly, though, but still.

* * *

He has to give it to Cia.

She manages to keep an eye on him while preparing breakfast. He doesn't even get the chance to sneak away.

If he'd be in a joking mood he'd tease that she doesn't only sound, but even acts like Rosita.

But he isn't in a joking mood. Not even close.

So instead he keeps his eyes glued to his phone.

Cia places a cup of coffee and a plate with some toast in front of him before she gets her own breakfast and sits down next to him.

"Johnny, you'll hear it when they call," she says. "And they can't say anything before your dad wakes up. Which he hasn't by now or they would have called already, okay?"

He lifts his gaze from his phone and finds her looking at him with a little frown. And there's something in her eyes he can't really place. Concern, probably, but there's more to it, but he isn't sure what it might be. Fear? Tiredness? Could be anything. Obviously, he's too worried and sad to interpret facial expressions correctly.

"Okay," he just says and grabs a slice of toast.

Something seems to be missing, though, but he can't even say what it is.

So he places his phone on the table to have his hand free. Then he takes Cia's hand into his.

She looks at him, her eyes wide with surprise.

He still isn't sure if he can muster up a smile, but he tries.

The result doesn't seem as bad because Cia returns the smile - or the weak attempt of a smile he's been able to bring to his face.

But he's fine with it.

* * *

Back at the hospital, there aren't any news.

His father still hasn't woken up.

So Johnny takes up his post in the waiting room again.

Cia sits down next to him.

He thinks that he'd zone out again, like he did the night before when all his thoughts were circling around his father and all he cared about was a doctor entering the room.

But it doesn't really happen today.

Yes, his thoughts are still with his father, and yes, he wishes for a doctor to enter the room and tell him that his father has woken up, but he realizes more things than the night before.

That Cia is tapping away on her phone, for example.

And this reminds him that none of his friends has sent him a text although they've all been here last night.

He can only presume that Cia has texted them. And is now texting them.

This makes sense.

When the door opens, Johnny looks up just in time to watch Ash enter. He greets her with a little nod.

Ash smiles at him, but he isn't the mood for talking, so he lowers his gaze again.

However, he hears every word Ash says to Cia.

That she would have been here sooner, but she wasn't feeling well in the morning and Lance refused to let her leave before she felt better.

It worries him to hear that Ash wasn't feeling well, but he doesn't seem to have the strength to talk to her about it now.

He doesn't seem to have the strength to talk at all.

So he leaves the talking to Cia.

However, Cia doesn't ask Ash about what's going on. Probably because Ash asks about Johnny's father right away.

Johnny makes a mental note to talk to Ash when he knows more about his father's condition.

Which is hopefully going to be soon.

But it isn't. It doesn't feel like it, though.

An eternity seems to pass, an eternity where Cia and Ash get some cans of soda, where Johnny keeps his eyes lowered to the ground and only takes a few sips of soda because Cia and Ash wouldn't leave him alone before he does.

And then the door opens and a doctor enters.

Johnny's heart stops for a moment. Or more than a moment.

The doctor is here, the moment Johnny has been wishing for for so long and now he isn't sure if he actually wants to know what's going on.

Hope and fear mix as he gets up, trying to read the doctor's face for a sign that his father is okay. Or that he isn't.

He finds neither.

He still seems to be to worried and sad and now scared, too, to interpret facial expressions.

"Mr. King?" the doctor asks and Johnny nods.

"Your father is awake," the doctor goes on, and Johnny's heart starts to beat faster. Or it just starts beating again, Johnny isn't so sure about that.

"H-how is he?" he asks.

"As well as he can be," the doctor says.

"I want to see him," Johnny says.

The doctor nods. "Please follow me."

Before they leave the room Johnny remembers something.

He turns around and smiles at Ash, and by the way she smiles back at him, he realizes he must have done a good job on the smile. Then he rushes over to Cia and places a quick kiss on her lips before he follows the doctor.

* * *

Johnny thought the room wouldn't be as intimidating today as it was the night before. That the machines, the beeping sounds, the tubes wouldn't scare him as much because today, his dad is awake. He's his dad again, not that body, that face that didn't react when he stepped closer to the bed. That didn't reply when he talked to him.

But everything is just as intimidating as the night before. He feels his chest tighten when he sets eyes on the machines, when he hears the beeping sounds.

But then he looks at his father. And his father looks back at him.

And the tight feeling in his chest is gone. He rushes over to the bed.

"Dad!" he calls out. "You scared me!"

He catches his tongue just in time or he would have added _to death_. Which would have been wrong. Very, _very_ wrong.

"Sorry, son," his father replies. "Didn't mean to."

"It's fine," Johnny says. "I'm just glad you're better."

Then he thinks that maybe was wrong, too, because just that his father is awake doesn't mean he's better. Well, not really.

"You are better, aren't you?" he asks.

"Getting there," his father replies, adding something that sounds bit like a chuckle.

Johnny decides that's a good sign.

* * *

When he returns to the waiting room, he finds Cia fast asleep in one of the chairs.

Ash is sitting next to her, but gets up when Johnny enters and steps into his way.

It reminds him of what Cia did this morning.

"How's your dad?" Ash asks.

"He'll be okay," he replies.

"That's good," Ash says.

Johnny looks at Cia's sleeping form.

"She's been watching you all night in case you had nightmares," Ash tells him and he turns his attention to the porcupine. "And yesterday she took care of almost everything. She texted us, she made sure we left you alone when it seemed to be too much for you." Ash takes a deep breath before she goes on, "She sank into the seat and fell asleep as soon as you had left the room. She must be really exhausted." Ash places a hand on his arm. "Make sure, she gets some rest, okay?" she says, and the concern is clearly visible in her eyes and hearable in her voice.

"I will," Johnny replies. "What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you said you weren't well this morning."

Ash rolls her eyes. "I'm fine. It was a long night, okay?"

"Then you should get some rest, too."

She blows a raspberry. "Now you sound like Lance. He keeps telling me I should get more rest whenever I don't feel well in the morning. Or pass out."

"Whenever? Pass out?" Johnny doesn't believe what he's hearing. "Ash! This is serious!"

"And there is Lance again!" Ash replies with another roll of her eyes. "Really, I'm okay!"

Johnny doesn't buy it, but he decides to let her off the hook.

"Okay," he says.

"Well, your dad is okay, you seem okay, I think I can go now," Ash says before she nods her head towards Cia. "Make sure she gets some rest."

"You already said that," Johnny replies with a smirk.

"I know!" Ash replies before she walks past him.

"And Johnny?" she addresses him before she opens the door and looks back at him over her shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Take care!"

"You too, Ash!"

Ash smiles at him and leaves.

Johnny watches her leave, deciding he'll keep a close eye on the porcupine in the future. What she said about not feeling well and passing out, it worries him. Maybe he should talk to Lance, too.

But this has to wait a bit, he tells himself before he walks over to Cia.

He wanted to let her sleep a bit, but the moment he sits down next to her, Cia stirs and opens her eyes.

"Is your dad okay?" she asks immediately.

"He's getting there," Johnny replies. "Now, come. Let's go home."

* * *

He makes sure Cia goes right to bed as soon as they're home. And after sending a quick text to Ash that Cia is finally sleeping, he feels very tired, too.

The few hours of sleep he got last night weren't enough, obviously.

So he lies down in bed next to Cia.

He watches her for a moment, putting his hand to her face and gently strokes her cheek.

Then he falls asleep himself.

* * *

When he wakes up, the room is bathed in red-goldish light, and a quick glance at the alarm clock tells him that it's evening. For a moment he was afraid it was morning already.

Then he turns his head to look at Cia. She's still asleep, but Johnny realizes that they are holding hands again.

Which means that they grabbed each other's hand while sleeping.

Again.

It makes him smile.

He moves his hand holding Cia's to his mouth and places a gentle kiss on her fingers.

That moment, Cia opens her eyes and looks at him.

And Johnny looks back at her.

He's amazed by how beautiful she looks in this red-goldish light.

She always looks beautiful, but she looks even more beautiful now. The light adds such a nice glow to her fur, and her eyes are simply sparkling.

Johnny looks even deeper into her eyes. He wants to make sure that he means, really means what he's about to say. That he's serious.

He brings his free hand to her face, cupping her cheek.

There is no starlight, his album isn't playing in the background, she hasn't even read the dedication. It's not what he had in mind, it's not perfect, but it feels right.

So very right.

"I love you!" he says.

Cia's eyes widen a bit for a moment before she leans over to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

When she pulls away, she looks into his eyes for a moment.

And then she says the words that make his heart jump.

"I love you, too!" she says.

Johnny smiles at her and Cia smiles back at him.

Then he pulls her into another kiss.


	24. Chapter 24

_Cia_

 _I love you!_

Cia didn't expect Johnny to say these words first. She didn't expect him to say them in this situation - lying in bed after some much needed sleep. She didn't expect him to be so confident about it. There was no hesitation in his words, no insecurity, no stutter, not even the slightest sign that he wasn't so sure after all.

Johnny was sure about what he said. He still is. She saw it in his eyes when he said those words to her, and she saw it in his eyes when they made love.

But what's even more surprising to her is how easily she could say these words back to him. How her tongue and lips formed the words so smoothly.

She expected to be nervous, she expected her heart to start pounding in her chest. And it didn't happen.

She loves Johnny, she had that one figured out a long time ago. But knowing it and actually _saying_ it, those are two different things.

Yet her confidence surprised her.

 _I love you, too!_

She has never said those words to anyone before, but with Johnny, they felt so right.

She can still hear his words and her words ringing in her head, and they make her skin tingle and send a pleasant shiver down her spine.

Because Johnny loves her, and she loves Johnny!

She's still grinning like an idiot when she arrives at the office that morning.

Her euphoria is slightly dampened by the state the office is in, though.

Didn't Mr. Moon say he could do a few days without a secretary? Then why does it look like some copying machine exploded in the middle of the office?

Wait, maybe the copying machine _did_ explode!

Cia quickly checks the wall where the copying machine is supposed to be, and no, it's still there.

Cia shakes her head with a little laugh.

Obviously, Ms. Crawly was doing a better job than she thought if she could keep this chaos at bay. Well, reasonably at bay.

With the old lizard around there were only papers stacked on her table or mostly on her table, now they were all over the room.

And Cia's table was in the same state as Ms. Crawly's.

It has only been two days, right?

The day after Johnny's father had the heart attack and one more day Cia accompanied Johnny to the hospital again, just to be sure. She isn't able to visit Leon in intensive care, but at least she could be there for Johnny.

And after checking on Johnny when he came back from visiting his father, she decided that he can handle things alone from now on.

She didn't want to let Mr. Moon down longer than necessary.

Which, obviously, was a wise decision.

She's keeping a close eye on her phone in case Johnny sends a text, though.

But from the big grin he gave her before she left she presumes he's doing okay.

And with that thought she picks up a few papers and starts working.

* * *

When she goes to the bathroom some time later, she's almost ran into by Ash when she leaves the stall again, but the porcupine manages to jump to the side just in time before she dashes into the empty stall next to Cia.

She doesn't even have a chance to say hi before Ash slams the door shut.

And the next thing Cia hears are some gagging noises coming from Ash's stall.

"Ash, are you okay?" she asks.

"Does this sound li…" Ash breaks off and there are more gagging noises.

"Does this sound like I'm okay?" Ash says after a little while.

"No," Cia replies, feeling really stupid.

She decides to wait for Ash and walks over to the sink to wash her hands.

When she's done there are still some gagging noises coming from Ash's stall, so Cia leans against the wall and waits.

It takes longer than Cia thought.

"Can I help you?" she asks after a few moments.

"No," Ash replies, before Cia can hear some more gagging noises.

She feels bad that there isn't anything she can do, so Cia at least shoves the stool for smaller animals to reach the sink, into place.

Some more moments pass before Ash finally opens the door and steps out of the stall, looking very miserable.

She climbs the stool without a word and rinses out her mouth before she washes her hands.

Cia watches her with a frown.

"Better?" she asks which is probably a stupid question, too. Cia almost expects Ash to get angry.

But the porcupine just nods. "A bit, yes," she says before she climbs down the stool again.

Cia bites down on her lip, wracking her brain for what to say.

"Ash, are you sure you're okay?" she finally asks.

"I am now," Ash replies, and Cia doesn't miss that there's an annoyed ring to her voice.

"Did you see a doctor yet?"

"I saw a lot of doctors."

Cia's eyes widen. "You did?"

"Yeah," Ash replies. "When I was at the hospital because of Johnny's dad. There were so many doctors running around there, it's really hard not to see them."

Cia blinks a few times.

Ash rolls her eyes. "I was joking."

"So, you haven't seen a doctor?" Cia asks. "You know, as in consulting."

"Why?" Ash replies with a shrug. "I'm okay."

"That didn't sound okay back there. Or when you mentioned that you are unwell more often. Or pass out."

Ash rolls her eyes again. "Now you sound like Lance. Or Johnny. Or Mr. Moon."

"Mr. Moon?" Cia asks. Johnny mentioned he's talked to Ash, but Mr. Moon? That's a surprise.

"Yeah, I passed out when I was rehearsing yesterday morning. He almost had a heart attack."

Suddenly, her eyes grow wide.

"I...I… Sorry! I didn't mean to… Not like Johnny's dad, I mean! That's just a saying! I…," Ash stammers before she clears her throat. "Mr. Moon freaked out, that's what I was trying to say."

"I got that," Cia says with a little giggle. "And it's fine."

"Okay," Ash says, letting out a deep sigh.

"So?" Cia asks.

"So what?"

"What about you?"

Ash sets her jaw into a hard line. "I know what it is, Cia!"

"You do?"

"Yes, isn't it obvious?"

Cia wracks her brain. She can't say it is.

"It's stress!" Ash calls out.

"Stress?" Cia repeats.

"Yes!" Ash calls out a little louder. "I am working on a new album, I have a concert every few weeks, not to mention the meet and greets, and I want to write an original song especially for the opening of Johnny's youth center. Plus, Lance and I still want to spend some time together. I guess I am just not getting enough sleep."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

To be honest, Cia isn't so sure about, but it's not like she can force Ash to see a doctor.

"Okay," she says, giving in. "But if you need anything…"

"I'll give you a call," Ash cuts in. "Or Lance. Or Johnny. Or Mr. Moon. Got it!"

"I should get back to work," Cia says.

"And I should get back to rehearsing," Ash adds.

Cia watches Ash on her way down the hall to the rehearsal rooms.

She doesn't like how lightly Ash is taking this.

* * *

When Johnny picks her up in the evening, Cia is still worrying a bit about Ash, but she shoves the thoughts away when she climbs the truck and sets eyes on Johnny's smiling face.

"So, I get it, your dad is doing better?" she asks.

"He is!" Johnny replies and pulls her into a quick kiss before he drives off.

Cia is happy to hear that.

"Speaking of doing better," Johnny starts, "Ash was in for rehearsals today. How is she?"

Cia sighs. Obviously, Johnny is as worried about Ash as she is.

"Not better, I think," she replies. "She was puking her guts out this morning. And she told me she passed out during rehearsals yesterday. Mr. Moon freaked out."

"Can't blame him," Johnny says. "Did she see a doctor?"

"No."

Johnny sighs. "If she passes out when I'm around, I swear I'm gonna grab her and carry her to the next hospital, no matter how much she's gonna hate me afterwards. Or fight me when she wakes up too soon."

"Same!" Cia says. "Although she's going to fight a lot."

"Only if she wakes up too soon! Given her size she should be easy to handle, I guess, but on the other hand, we're talking about Ash, so…"

"She's going to put on a hell of a fight?" Cia suggests.

"You bet!" Johnny adds.

And all of a sudden they both burst into laughter.

Cia knows it's a serious matter, but somehow, the laughter helps.

When they've calmed down, Johnny asks, "Wanna grab a pizza?"

"You bet!" Cia replies.

And they burst into laughter again.


	25. Chapter 25

_Johnny_

Johnny isn't surprised when he receives a text from Ash. What surprises him is that it seems to be a mass text sent out to more people, and - that's the unusual part - it's an invitation to meet at her and Lance's place on Friday night.

With a frown he looks at Cia, sitting next to him at the table, eating her breakfast.

Her phone beeped at the same time his did which only strengthens his idea of the message being sent out to other people, too.

"Hey, did you just receive an invitation from Ash, too?" he asks.

Cia nods. "Yeah, I did. Pretty … uhm …"

"Unusual?" he suggests.

"Yeah," Cia agrees.

"I wonder what's going on," Johnny goes on. With Ash's recent condition - the passing-out, the puking - he can't help, but be a bit worried. What if Ash is going to tell them that she has some really bad disease, something life-threatening? He'd better not think about that.

So close after his father's heart attack, he doesn't even _want_ to think about it.

"Me too," Cia says.

"Do you think…" He breaks off to take a deep breath. Not _wanting_ to think about it is one thing. Actually _managing_ not to think about it a totally different thing. And he fails.

"Do you think it's serious? I mean with Ash passing out so much recently and … well, you know." He sighs again.

Cia looks at him for a moment. "If it were that serious, I think she'd tell us sooner and not wait for the weekend. It's still four days to go," she tells him.

Johnny isn't sure if she actually believes that, but it somehow makes sense. So he decides to go with it.

Although he's still worrying a bit, and of course, Cia realizes. She always does.

She places a hand on his cheek, her eyes locking with his.

"Don't worry so much," she says with a smile, and her smile is so warm and gentle, he simply has to return it.

And then she kisses him. It's a warm and gentle kiss, just like her smile, but the moment, he wants to deepen it, his phone beeps, and he pulls away.

Usually, a text message wouldn't keep him from kissing her, but with his father in hospital and Ash's condition, things have changed a bit.

He can't wait for life to turn back to normal, though.

"Sorry," he says to Cia, giving her an apologetic smile.

"It's fine," she replies before she continues her breakfast.

Johnny reaches for his phone.

And what he reads makes Ash's text message drop to the second most surprising text message he received recently.

Because this new text is from Lance.

He wants to meet up with Johnny today.

Johnny can feel the panic rise in his chest again.

He and Lance have never met alone before. What if he wants to tell Johnny that Ash is just playing it cool again while in reality she's really, really sick and he wants to tell Johnny beforehand because…

Well, why would Lance do that?

Because he needs someone to talk to?

Johnny can only presume, but he's sure Lance has better friends than Johnny to talk about such a serious matter. If he and Lance can be called friends at all.

Because Johnny is Ash's best friend and thus deserves to know the truth?

Could be, but no. It sounds a bit far-fetched. If anything, _Ash_ would tell him the truth, not Lance.

Which leaves Johnny with no explanation at all.

Lance's text is still weird, and Johnny decides that he isn't good at handling weird right now.

But he doesn't want to let Lance down either.

So he types his reply and sends it.

 _Sure, when?_

Lance's reply comes a second later.

 _2 at the mall okay for you?_

Johnny can't say it is okay because that's usually the time he visits his dad. But there's something about the way Lance texted him - or that Lance texted him at all - that tells him he'd better say yes.

 _Perfect! See you!_

* * *

When he's waiting for Lance to show up, Johnny tries to fight that uneasy feeling down, but fails. And so the uneasy feeling increases and contributes to his wish that he'd prefer to visit his dad.

But before he can think more about it, Lance shows up.

"Hi Johnny!" he greets with a little wave of his hand.

"Hello!" Johnny replies, searching Lance's face for a sign of what is going on.

The porcupine makes no move to start talking and looks a bit nervous which only adds to Johnny's uneasy feeling.

"So, what's up?" Johnny finally asks when Lance still doesn't say anything.

"It's Ash," Lance says with a sigh, lowering his eyes to the ground. "She's …"

 _Dying?_

 _Deathly ill?_

 _Undergoing some serious surgery?_

Johnny _hates_ that Lance breaks off right there!

"She's …," Lance starts again, only to break off again.

Johnny is _this_ close to grab Lance and shake him!

Lance takes a deep breath and looks up, searching Johnny's eyes.

"You gotta promise not to tell anyone that I told you that," Lance says. "It's supposed to be a secret until Friday."

"I promise!" Johnny says quickly, still fighting down the urge to shake Lance.

He wants to know what's going on. He _needs_ to know!

"Okay," Lance says, lowering his eyes again. "Ash is -" Johnny holds his breath in anticipation - "pregnant."

Johnny blinks a few times before the full impact of what Lance just said hit him.

"Really?" he says as all the tension melts away from him.

Ash isn't going to die, Ash isn't seriously ill.

No, Ash is _pregnant!_

This information brings a big grin to Johnny's face.

"That's amazing!" he calls out. "Congrats, Lance!"

He puts a hand on Lance's shoulder, giving it a pat.

"Thanks," Lance replies, looking at Johnny with a little smile. "But you have to tone down that grin. You aren't supposed to know anything."

Johnny's eyes widen for a moment before he speaks up, "Yeah, yeah, sure!"

He tries his best and manages to get the corner of his mouth down. At least a bit.

"There you go!" Lance says with a little laugh, and Johnny laughs a bit, too.

"Now, let's get to business," Lance goes on, and suddenly, he seems nervous again.

It's the moment Johnny realizes that of course there must be more to this. Lance didn't want to meet just to tell him that Ash is pregnant. That could have waited till Friday.

"Okay," Johnny says.

Lance takes another deep breath.

"The thing is …," he starts before he breaks off again.

Johnny doesn't feel the urge to shake Lance that much now that he knows that Ash is alright, but it's still there. He really wants to know what it is that makes Lance so nervous.

Lance clears his throat. "I want to ask Ash to marry me."

"That's great!" Johnny calls out, and the grin is back on his face.

Again, Lance replies with a little smile. "Thanks," he says. "And that's where you come in. Do you think you could help me choose an engagement bracelet for her? You're her best friend, and I really could need some help because, well, I'm not sure if I can do it alone."

"Of course!" Johnny replies happily.

"Thanks, man," Lance says. "And Johnny?"

"Yes?"

"Remember, you gotta tone that grin down."

"Oh yeah, sure! Sorry!"

* * *

Johnny thinks he's doing a good job on toning that grin down. Whenever Cia catches him humming and smiling and asks why he's so happy he replies that it's because his dad is doing better.

Which isn't a lie.

It's one of the reasons he's in such a good mood. Although this means that his dad is going to be moved back to jail soon. Which he doesn't like that much, but Johnny decided he'd rather have a healthy father in jail than having a sick dad at the hospital.

When Cia and he are on their way to Ash and Lance's, it is really hard for Johnny to act like he's still worried. Or at least act like he's not happy and excited.

He's doing a reasonable job, he thinks. Cia doesn't get suspicious.

He only hopes that Ash is going to break the news soon because he isn't sure how long he can keep this up.

He patiently waits in the living room as the others arrive. He only shares a look with Lance every once in a while. Of course when no one else is looking.

They are all there - Rosita, Gunter, Meena, Mike and Nancy, Mr. Moon, Eddie, and even Ms. Crawly who is finally able to walk again although she still needs crutches. Since she doesn't have a mobile phone Johnny can only guess that Ash personally invited her - or had Mr. Moon do that.

Anyways, Johnny is fine that Ms. Crawly is doing better, too. Ever since his dad ended up in hospital he hasn't been able to visit her.

So he walks up to her and starts a little conversation, and Ms. Crawly is as nice and caring as always.

But when Ash clears her throat, Johnny's attention is with her immediately.

Finally! Now he can stop acting soon!

"Okay, guys," she says, "you all may be wondering why I called you here. As some of you know, I haven't been so well recently, and there's a reason for that."

Johnny is biting down on the inside of his cheeks. Everyone else looks concerned, so he really can't start smiling now!

Ash lets her eyes glide over her guests, and Johnny bites down on the inside of his cheeks a bit more.

 _No smiling, Johnny!_

And suddenly, there's a smile on Ash's face as she says, "I'm pregnant!"

There's a moment of silence, and then suddenly there's laughter and congratulations.

Johnny is glad that he can finally allow his mouth to turn into a big grin. He's been fighting it down for way too long!

"Are you going to get married?" Rosita asks, and Johnny immediately looks at Lance whose eyes widen a bit.

His hand disappears in his pocket, Johnny knows that he's fumbling for the bracelet. Johnny even watches how Lance is moving, about to get down on his knee, but then, Ash blows a raspberry.

"Are you kidding me!?" she calls out. "Marriage is for the establishment, not for free spirits like Lance and me!"

Johnny feels a pang in his heart as he watches how Lance simply shoots back into a standing position.

Luckily, no one seems to have realized.

Except for Johnny himself, of course.

And he feels for Lance, actually, he's really sorry for him.

Johnny can only hope that it shows in the look he's giving Lance before he turns his attention back to Ash.

And with that, the smile is back on his face.

It doesn't feel so appropriate anymore, though.

But he keeps it up.

He's good at this after all.


	26. Chapter 26

_Cia_

Cia feels something between a laugh bubbling in her chest and a sound of relief tickling her tongue, and in the end, she ends up staring at Ash with a dropped jaw when she hears the news. For a few moments her mouth refuses to close, refuses to form words, but when it's finally working again, she laughs a little laugh of relief before she congratulates Ash and Lance.

With a smile and another shake of her head in disbelief - she's done this at least ten times this evening - she climbs into the truck and settles down on the passenger seat.

Really, how could she've been so dumb! It was right there all the time, right before her eyes, yet she didn't see it!

Ash is _pregnant!_

The passing out, the throwing up in the morning, the not-being-well - it should have been so obvious, yet no one got it. Not even Rosita, and Rosita should know a thing or two about pregnancies. So that even she missed the obvious makes Cia feel a little less dumb. But still.

Cia shakes her head again, laughing a little.

But then she realizes something else. And it's a little off.

Johnny is unusually quiet.

She turns her head to look at her boyfriend.

Johnny is keeping his eyes on the street. That's not unusual. Johnny always takes driving seriously which Cia thinks is a good thing.

What is unusual is the little frown crinkling his forehead.

What is unusual is that he's _not_ smiling.

After worrying about Ash so much, about hearing the good news, Cia expected him to be grinning like an idiot.

Yes, he _was_ smiling at the party now that Cia's is thinking of it, but why isn't he smiling _now?_

And even more importantly, why isn't he talking?

Shouldn't they be talking about what happened now? Shouldn't they be laughing about how dumb they were?

Cia bites down on her bottom lip.

"You okay?" she finally asks.

Johnny jumps a little, his eyes widening for a second.

"Yeah, sure!" he replies quickly.

"You sure?"

"Yes! Why wouldn't I be? I mean Ash is fine, in fact, she's better than fine, she's pregnant, and that's great! Really, it's awesome!"

Cia isn't buying it. He's talking too quickly, and there's something in his voice that seems a little off. Besides, he's still frowning.

"Because you aren't smiling," Cia says.

Johnny's eyes widen again for a second, and then the corner of his mouth Cia can see moves up a little, but it doesn't look like a real smile.

"Johnny."

"Yes?" he replies, and the corner of his mouth moves up a little more.

"I'm not buying it," she tells him.

A few moments pass, then Johnny lets out a sigh, and the fake smile disappears from his face.

Cia waits for him to say something, but Johnny just keeps staring at the street with a frown.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" she asks.

"I'm not sure I should…"

Cia lowers her eyes. Sure, she can't force him to tell her, but seeing him like this after such great news is worrying her.

"You don't have to," she says as she looks up again. "But if it is upsetting you that much, maybe it could help?"

Johnny lets out another sigh. "But you have to promise me you won't tell anyone, not even Ash, okay?"

"I promise!"

"Okay." Johnny takes a deep breath. "Lance asked me to help him with something a few days ago."

"Something?" Cia repeats.

"Yeah, with an … with an engagement bracelet for Ash," Johnny goes on. "He wanted to ask her to marry him this evening."

"Oh." Everything clicks together in Cia's brain. "And then Ash held her little 'speech' on marriage and free spirits."

"Yeah." Johnny nods.

"Wow," Cia says. "This … this is … wow! Poor Lance!"

"Yeah," Johnny says again.

Cia mulls over the news.

"So what are you going to do now?" she asks.

"Me?"

"Yeah," Cia affirms. "Are you going to tell Ash?"

"I don't think I can," Johnny says as he stops the truck in front of Cia's apartment building. "I promised Lance not to tell anyone."

Cia mulls about it a bit more, closing her eyes to be able to concentrate better. She wants to do something to help Johnny. He's so upset about this! And she wants to help Lance, too.

There must be a way. There has to be a way!

"Well, the way I see it," she begins to form her thoughts into words, "you promised not to tell anyone before this evening. You promised not to tell anyone that Lance wants to ask Ash to marry him, but you didn't promise to tell anyone that Lance _wanted_ to ask Ash to marry him because we can't tell for sure he _still_ wants to ask her."

When she opens her eyes again and turns to look at Johnny she finds him looking at her with wide eyes.

"What?" she asks with a little laugh.

"I love how your brain works!"

She laughs a little more at his words, then shrugs. "It's all a matter of interpretation."

"I guess," Johnny replies.

"So?" she asks. "Are you going to talk to Ash?"

"I'm meeting her for lunch tomorrow anyway," he says. "We wanted to talk a bit about the work on her new album. She thinks of doing a duet with me."

"That's a good idea!" Cia calls out. She loves Johnny's singing, of course, but she loves Ash's just as much, and she could totally see them doing duet together. It'd be amazing! "And then you're going to tell her?"

Johnny shrugs. "Maybe."

Cia smiles at Johnny, but he can't see it. He has his eyes lowered and the little frown is back on his forehead. He's probably thinking about what to say to Ash.

Cia decides that it's time to get his mind off this.

"Soooooo," she drawls as she leans in a little closer, her smile turning into a smirk, "you said you love how my brain works."

Johnny looks up at her, his eyes a little wide with surprise. "Yeah."

"What about the rest of me?" Cia goes on, leaning in even closer. "Do you love how the rest of me works, too?"

"Yeah," Johnny says again. "I do."

"Mind showing me?"

Now it's Johnny turns to smile and he bridges the little distance left between them to press his lips to hers, immediately letting his tongue glide into her mouth, stroking, teasing, playing with her own tongue in a way that makes her heart beat faster in her chest.

When he breaks the kiss, it takes Cia a few moments to catch her breath and to bring that smirk back to her mouth.

"I am … not convinced," she says although her hammering heart is putting the lie to her words and opens the passenger door, not to mention that Johnny raises a brow at that.

But before she climbs out of the truck she looks back at Johnny. "Maybe you'll have to try a little harder," she adds with a little wink.

She closes the door and walks up to the apartment building.

She only manages a few steps before she hears another car door being shut followed by some really quick steps. Next thing she knows is Johnny grabbing her hand and dragging her with him as he rushes to her apartment.

Cia has this strong feeling that they aren't going to make it to the bedroom tonight.

* * *

On Monday morning Cia is back at the office. She wants to get as much work done as possible because Ms. Crawly is going to be back at work soon. And she's going to need a walking stick even though she can dump the crutches in a few days. So Cia wants to make sure that the old lady doesn't have to leave her desk too often.

Cia is going to be around at the beginning, too, but then, she really needs to get some work done on the new play. She really has to catch up on that. The office work somehow kept her from doing it. And the other things that happened.

She had planned on working on the play on the weekend, but after the news on Friday - both Ash's news of being pregnant and Johnny's news that Lance wanted to ask her to marry him - she somehow was thinking too much about that than the scene she had planned to work on.

Okay, it had been more because of Johnny's news. Cia spent most of the time on Saturday when Johnny met up with Ash _trying_ to write - and not getting anything done.

And then Johnny came home and all that she got out of him was that yes, he had talked to Ash and that she'd been surprised and thoughtful. He didn't say if Ash was going to talk to Lance and if she was going to say yes if he asked her again or if she still insisted on them being free spirits.

It made Cia so mad! She wanted to know more! She needed to know more, and she was this close to send Ash a text.

A good thing Johnny decided to take her mind off things back then. And most of Sunday.

Cia still wants to know what Ash is going to do, but the good thing is that she can keep herself busy with office work now. And when that fails she thinks of Johnny taking her mind off things on the weekend. It makes her grin like an idiot, but she doesn't mind. Not one bit. She only has to tone it down when there's a chance someone might catch her grinning like that.

She checks Mr. Moon's schedule for the day and realizes he isn't going to be back too soon. He's having lunch with Nana Noodleman and that always takes a little longer.

It's the moment Cia ponders if she should go down to the rehearsal rooms and check if Ash is around. But she probably isn't. She's probably having a doctor's appointment or taking it easy or thinking about Lance's proposal or… Argh!

 _Think of what Johnny did yesterday during lunch! Come on, Cia, you can do it! There you go! That was good, so very good, wasn't it?_

And then the door to the office opens and Ash steps in.

"Hello, Cia! Is Mr. Moon around?" she asks.

Cia manages to tone down her grin just in time, but not so much when she realizes that Ash is here and that now she can ask Ash herself. Well, not really. She isn't supposed to know anything. That makes her grin fade a little again.

"I'm sorry, Ash," she says. "He's having lunch with Nana Noodleman. That's going to take a while. Should I get you when he's back?"

"Yeah, that'd be great," Ash replies.

And then the grin is back on Cia's face when she sets eyes on something on Ash's wrist, something silver and glittering.

"Is that an engagement bracelet!?" she asks a little too loudly.

Ash looks from her at her bracelet.

"Yeah, it is," the porcupine says with a shrug before she turns back to Cia. "And thanks for the normal reaction, Cia. My ears are still ringing from the shriek Rosita made when she saw it."

"So, Lance asked you to marry him?" Cia asks.

"No, it was Johnny during our lunch on Saturday. Didn't he tell you?"

Cia feels a little pang in her heart. _What?_

And then Ash bursts into laughter.

"That was a joke, Cia!" she calls out. "You should have seen your face!"

"Yeah, haha, very funny," Cia replies.

"Sorry," Ash says with a grin. "Couldn't resist."

"Haha," Cia says again.

She looks at Ash a little more closely. Her eyes are sparkling and Cia can't help, but think that it's not only from laughing so much.

"And there I thought you were a free spirit," Cia says with a wink.

"I've always been a rebel!" Ash replies with a little laugh. "Told Lance the same thing when he was staring at me with big eyes when I said yes."

"So, when's the big day?"

"Soon," Ash says. "We want to get it over with before the whole being young parents-madness begins, and I want to fit in a nice dress, so we're running out of time."

And there is the rebel Ash, again, Cia realizes, speaking of getting it over with instead of getting married. It makes her smile a little more.

"I get it you just want a small ceremony?"

"Yeah, registry office, some friends, that's all."

"A white dress?"

Ash blows a raspberry. "Of course not! Me? Wearing _white?_ Come on!"

"It could definitely do a little damage to your rebel-image," Cia says with a chuckle.

"Thank you!" Ash replies. "Rosita didn't get that!"

"Bridal shower?"

Instead of a reply, Ash laughs, waves at Cia and leaves the office again.

Cia assumes that this meant no.


	27. Chapter 27

_Johnny_

When Cia climbs the truck, Johnny sees immediately that something's a little off. Her mouth is twisted and there's a little glare in her eyes. But no matter how much he thinks about it, he can't think what he might have done to deserve this.

So he asks, "What?"

"Why didn't you tell me that Ash was going to say yes?!" Cia calls out, boxing his upper arm a few times.

Johnny lets out a sigh when he realizes that although she's hitting him, it's gentle and playful, not to mention that she doesn't really sound angry. There's a hint of relief in it, some happiness, and it is clear to Johnny that Cia is only _trying_ to sound angry.

And when Cia stops boxing his upper arm, she's even laughing a little, before she's placing a quick kiss on his lips. He doesn't even have a chance to deepen it just a bit before she leans back again.

"Really, you should have told me!" she says. "I was almost freaking out!"

"Almost?" Johnny repeats with a laugh of his own. "You _were_ freaking out! Why did you think I had to keep you busy all weekend?"

Cia raises a brow. "That was the only reason?"

Johnny laughs a little louder. "Okay, you got me there!" he admits. "Our weekend wouldn't have been much different without me keeping you busy."

This time, it's him who places a kiss on her lips. He even moves his hand to the back of her head to pull her even closer, deepening the kiss in the process.

When he breaks the kiss and leans back again, he smiles at her.

"In my defence, I didn't know Ash was going to say yes before she showed up at the garage before rehearsals this morning."

Cia's eyes widen a little. "Ash showed up to work at the garage?"

"Yes!" Johnny replies. "I didn't let her, though. She's pregnant! I can't let her carry heavy stuff or climb around on ladders or, well, work! Not when there's a chance she might overdo it, what, with Ash, _always_ is a chance."

"I agree," Cia says. "But I presume she didn't make it easy for you?"

Johnny shakes his head with a little chuckle. "Not one bit. Kept complaining that she can still do minor stuff, before she darted to the bathroom and spent the next thirty minutes puking her guts out - which somehow proved her wrong, I guess. She didn't admit it, of course, just said she had to get to rehearsals now and asked if I could drive her. That was when I asked about the bracelet because she was wearing it, and well, that's the story." He shrugs. "So, really, I didn't know before. She was surprised when I told her that Lance had planned to propose to her. And said that she never expected this and had to think about it."

Cia twists her mouth. "You could have told me that!" she says.

"No, I couldn't," he says. "Ash made me promise I wouldn't tell anyone anything. There was no, I repeat: absolutely _no_ room for interpretation!"

Cia nods her head a little. "Okay, I'll let you off the hook then. Now, let's grab some dinner. I'm starving!"

Johnny laughs at that. "Okay!" he says before he drives on.

* * *

The days pass, and then his father is well enough to be brought back to jail.

Johnny doesn't like it, but then he remembers what he decided a while ago. That he'd rather have a healthy father in jail than a sick dad in hospital. Still doesn't mean he has to like it, though.

But it does mean that his father is getting back to normal, and that's a good thing. Although Johnny is going to miss talking to him without glass between them. Although he's going to miss hearing his father voice, _really hearing it, not the slightly tinny voice he hears over the receiver._

But yet again, a healthy father in jail is better than a sick one in the hospital. He only needs to remind himself of that. Repeatedly.

And he doesn't have much time to think about it anyway.

The release party of his first album is coming up. He or rather Cia and Mr. Moon got the label to postpone it until his father is better.

Johnny's glad he got the label to make it a more casual party so he can wear his usual clothes. But because of the postponement the label wanted to do something special for his fans and so they raffled off invitations for this party for ten fans.

Which means Johnny has to mingle. And he isn't so sure if he's good at it.

Yes, he loves giving concerts, he loves talking to his fans while he's on stage when he can say some things like how much he likes them and what a great audience they are. And he's finally gotten the hang of how to run his facebook-page. But actually talking to his fans face-to-face, actually mingling with them, that's something new. That's not one of the autograph sessions where he is sitting at a table and there's still the table between him and his fans. No, this is meeting with his fans at a party. He isn't even sure if he's good at parties, let alone, parties with his fans!

So when he and Cia arrive at the Moon Theater on Saturday night he's feeling a bit nervous. At least the party is taking place here, and he really likes the theater. He feels comfortable here. He feels at home here, in a way.

But that doesn't help today and he lets out the breath he's been holding in a long sigh. He looks at Cia who smiles at him.

She leans a bit closer and places a hand on his.

"I'm sure everything is going to be okay," she says.

"Yeah," Johnny replies, mustering up a smile, although it's a really weak one.

And suddenly, he remembers something.

"Oh my gosh, I totally forgot!" he calls out as he leans over to the passenger seat and opens the glovebox. He rummages around until he finally finds what he's put there which seems like an eternity ago.

The copy of his album he had gotten beforehand. The one he had wanted to give to Cia. The one he had wanted to use as a cue to tell her that he loved her during their romantic picnic under the stars.

And then everything turned out completely different. His father had a heart attack, he told Cia he loved her in bed in the evening after they got some well-needed rest, he learned that Ash wasn't feeling well, and then that she is pregnant, he helped Lance pick an engagement bracelet for her, he's been working at the garage and the opening at the youth center is going to be in two weeks.

All of this has happened in such a short time. No wonder he forgot about the copy of his album for Cia! It still makes him feel bad a bit. He wanted her to read the dedication before everyone else.

"Johnny?" Cia asks, and Johnny realizes that he was staring down on the album in his hand.

"Here," he says, handing it to Cia. "I should have given this to you a while ago. Read the dedication, please."

Cia nods and opens the cover, taking out the booklet.

 _"For everyone who has a place in my heart and for the one who owns this heart,"_ she reads out loud, then looks up, locking eyes with him.

"Is this for me?" she asks. "Am I the one who owns your heart?"

Johnny laughs a little. "As if you didn't know!"

He leans in and pulls her into a gentle kiss, but Cia responds to it almost immediately, deepening it, and when they pull apart, they need a few moments to catch their breath.

"I love you," Cia says.

"I love you, too," Johnny replies, and before he can stop himself he pulls her into another kiss.

Again, it takes them a few moments to catch their breath after they've broken the kiss.

Cia smiles at him. "Ready to go to your party?" she asks.

"No," Johnny says with a little laugh and a shake of his head. "But let's go anyway!"

* * *

Sometimes, Johnny wishes he could be a bit more like Mike. Five minutes at his party and the mouse has already mustered quite some animals around him. And that although this is his - _Johnny's!_ \- album release party.

Not to mention that Mike looks overly pleased while talking to these animals. And Nancy is clinging to his arm, smiling and just looking beautiful, looking overly pleased with herself - and Mike -, too.

Okay, Cia is right there by his side, holding his hand, but they both aren't that comfortable at parties. They're trying their best, though, and keep smiling and answering questions.

But then Jane from the label shows up, a fierce tabby, and tells Johnny he should talk to these fans who won an invitation. And although she doesn't say it, it's pretty clear that she wants Johnny to go over to them alone.

Cia gives him an apologetic smile, giving his hand one gentle squeeze before she lets go. Johnny watches her go over to Meena, Ash, and Lance.

He wonders if Ash and Lance are bending their rules of keeping work and private life separated. It would make sense because Ash is pregnant and Lance wants to keep an eye on her. Johnny can't blame him. Sometimes, Ash is taking things too lightly. He saw that when she insisted she could help at the garage. On the other hand, this is Johnny's album release party, so maybe this counts as private and not work for them anyway.

But before he can think more about, Jane shoos him over to the fans. She makes it politely and not visible to anyone, but as the fierce cat that she is, she makes it clear that she won't tolerate any protest.

So Johnny ends up in front of ten animals he has never met before in his life. Most of them are females and they look at him with big eyes.

"Hello!" Johnny says to them with a wave of his hand. "Are you enjoying the party?"

"Oh yes! It's awesome! I mean, you're awesome! I mean, your music is awesome! I mean, could someone stop me, please?" a cheetah-girl tells him, her little monologue ending in a nervous giggle.

Another cheetah-girl, maybe her sister or so, places a hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry," she says to Johnny. "She's been looking forward to this ever since she won the invitation. She really loves your music!"

"Thank you!" Johnny says with a smile.

He hopes someone else is going to say something, but no one does. They probably expect him to say something, but he isn't sure what to say.

And then he sets eyes on the copies of his album they are all holding. The label must have given it to them.

"Hey, do you want me to sign these for you?" he asks, nodding his head towards the CDs.

"Yes!" the cheetah-girl from before calls out, holding her CD under his nose so quickly, he takes a step back out of instinct.

"Sorry!" she calls out.

"No, it's fine," Johnny says with a smile, before he takes the album into his hand. He opens the case and takes out the booklet.

But then he remembers that he doesn't even have a pen or something else to write. He checks his pockets, but it's futile. He never has pens on him.

Luckily, Jane comes to his aid, handing him a pen.

He thanks her with a smile. Then he turns back to the cheetah-girl.

"What's your name?" he asks.

"Caroline."

Johnny nods and writes a few words down on the booklet. Nothing special. He isn't so good with words. It took him ages to get that dedication written. So he just thanks Caroline for her support and that he hopes she's going to enjoy the songs. Then he hands the album back to her.

"Thank you!" she calls out. "I saw that your song _I'll Be Me_ is on it. That's the one from the charity concert, right? The one this friend helped you with your lyrics, right?"

The other cheetah-girl rolls her eyes. "Stop asking him questions you already know the answers to! You know anything when it comes to Johnny's music."

"But it's different to hear it from him!" Caroline says.

Johnny smiles at that. "Actually, she's my girlfriend," he replies. "And yes, that's her. Actually, she did all the lyrics on this album. She's better with words than me."

"Awesome!" she says.

Johnny signs the other albums, too, and when he's done, he's afraid that it might lead to some awkward silence, but thank goodness, does Caroline _love_ to talk!

She talks about the charity concert and the show in the ruins of the Moon Theater and how much she loves the new theater, especially the squids.

However, a fox named Austin chimes in, saying that he preferred the old theater, and suddenly, he and Caroline have a heated discussion.

Johnny just watches them with a smile. He's glad that he's off the hook and doesn't have to talk.

It's the moment the other cheetah-girl - her name is Dana - steps a bit closer to him.

"So, did you write that dedication yourself?" she asks.

"I did," he replies. "It's probably a bit cheesy and Cia would have done something better for it, but I couldn't ask her for help, because that dedication, it's for her."

"I see," Dana says. "And it's not cheesy at all. It's honest and somehow sweet. Maybe you should try writing your own lyrics."

"I did," he replies. "I couldn't do it. That's why I am so thankful Cia helped me with the lyrics."

"Well, maybe you should try again." Dana shrugs. "I think it'd make your songs even better, more authentic, you know."

"Maybe," Johnny admits. "But I like my songs the way they are."

"Don't get me wrong, I do, too!" Dana tells him. "It's just, well, there's always room for improvement."

"I guess," Johnny says with a little shrug of his own.

Dana opens her mouth to say something, but suddenly, Caroline grabs her arm and pulls her closer.

"Dana, help me! Austin doesn't get how amazing the new theater is!" she whines.

"I do get it!" Austin says. "It's just that I preferred the old theater. More patina, you know!"

Johnny has his own opinion on the old theater, especially since he saw it collapse, especially since it almost came down on him. He has to agree with the patina-argument.

However, he keeps his opinion to himself. First, because Dana is saying something about the collapse of the old theater right now, and second, because he had his share of mingling with fans for one party. Or at least for now.

He looks around. Jane doesn't seem to be around, so Johnny decides to get back to his friends.

"Guys, I gotta go," he says. "Have fun at the party!"

And with that he walks up to Cia, Meena, Ash, and Lance.

Cia greets him with a smile and a quick kiss on his lips, a kiss he would love to deepen because the warmth of her lips always makes him feel better. However, he can't do that right here at the party, so he decides that the warmth of her hand will have to do for now as he takes it into his.

"Did you have fun?" Cia asks.

Johnny exhales noisily. "It wasn't as bad as I thought," he says. "I did enjoy it in a way. They're great guys. But I prefer to hang out with you guys for the rest of the night. Or for as long as Jane doesn't get a hold of me."

"Oh yeah, she's a feisty one," Ash says with a little laugh.

"Yeah," Johnny agrees. He adds a little laugh, too, but it sounds more nervous than he intended.

Cia gives his hand a squeeze, and he really would _love_ to kiss her right now, long and deeply. Maybe they can sneak away for a bit later.

For the moment, all he can do is return the gesture. And that's what he does.


	28. Chapter 28

_Cia_

Cia can't say she doesn't understand why Johnny has to mingle with his fans. It's part of his job. Yes, she understands it. But she doesn't like it that much. Especially not when there are some females around giving him the mooneyes.

Is she jealous? Well, if that's what it's called when she feels a little pang in her heart when she sets eyes on the females, that she feels her throat tighten when she hears them giggle, then yes, she is.

She forces her eyes away, and her gaze lands on Mike and Nancy having a great time. Nancy seems so pleased, she seems to enjoy how the other females look at Mike. She only grabs Mike's arm a little tighter, leans in a little closer to him, her smile growing wider and wider.

Why can't _she_ do that? Just go over there, grab Johnny's arm and show those females that he's hers?

Well, one reason might be that the label doesn't want her to. While it is no secret that Johnny has a girlfriend - heck, there's a youtube-video of their kiss on stage! -, the label prefers to represent Johnny as single. Or sort of single.

It's probably a marketing-thing. But it still doesn't mean she has to like it.

And she doesn't like it. At all.

But even if the label had no say in this, Cia isn't sure she could act like Nancy around Johnny's fans. It's just not her. Nancy loves attention, she loves to be the female on Mike's side at these events.

And while Cia loves to be the female on Johnny's side, she isn't that good at being the female on his side at these events. She prefers to stay in the background. And even if she'd be just like Nancy - which she isn't -, there's still the label.

She can feel how the frown digs deeper and deeper into her forehead, not to mention the headache that's building in her temples, but before she can get lost in these thoughts, she feels a hand on her lower arm.

When she turns her head she finds Meena looking at her.

"You okay, Cia?" the teenage elephant asks.

"Yeah, sure," Cia replies, casting one last glance at Johnny and his fans. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Meena goes on. "You seem … uhm …"

She flaps her ears over her face and casts her eyes down.

"Worried, you seem worried!" Ash chops in.

"No, no, I am not! I am …" Cia doesn't want to say 'jealous', so she breaks off.

A few moments pass in silence, and Cia decides she has to do something. She doesn't want the conversation to circle around if she's worried or not, so the best way would probably be to bring up a new topic.

She looks at Meena.

"So, what's new, Meena?" she asks. "I heard Mr. Moon mentioning something that you might get a role in an interactive kids' show. Is that true?"

Suddenly, Meena removes her ears from her face and beams at Cia. "Oh yes! They want me to play the Singing Oracle. The kids need to solve some mysteries, and I am going to give them hints, all in a singing voice, of course."

"That sounds amazing!" Cia says.

"Yes!" Meena agrees. "I loved these shows as a kid, and now I can be part of this myself. This is great!"

Lance nudges Ash very, very gently. "Hey, that's something we can show to our kid."

Ash rolls her eyes. "You do realize that the baby can't watch TV the moment it's born, right?"

Lance replies with a roll of his eyes of his own. "When it's old enough, of course!"

His fiancée shrugs. "Sure. When the show is still on."

"Hey, we're talking about _Meena!_ " Lance says emphatically. "Of course the show is still going to be on!"

Meena replies to that with a little giggle that's so pure and genuine, it makes Cia smile.

* * *

As much as Cia enjoys to talk to her friends, she's relieved when Johnny joins their group. She gives him a quick kiss which obviously the label wouldn't like, but she doesn't care. She just needed to kiss him.

Of course, she doesn't want to overdo it, so she keeps it at this one kiss although she would love to kiss him more often, more deeply.

Instead, she just takes his hand.

She can only hope that maybe, just maybe they can sneak away later.

However, that doesn't happen. Jane shows up half an hour later and _talks_ Johnny into making his rounds, talking to some people from the label, some other powerful people in the music business, and, of course, his fans.

Cia doesn't like that she has to let go of his hand, and from the look Johnny is giving her over his shoulder, he doesn't like it that much either.

Ash sighs, and Cia turns her attention back to her friends.

"What?" she asks.

"One of the downsides of being with someone popular," the porcupine explains. "You have to share them."

"Yeah," Lance agrees, wrapping an arm around Ash's hips, pulling her closer and placing a peck on Ash's cheek. "Believe me, I know!"

Ash giggles at that.

Cia sighs. It seems she's been more obvious than she intended.

"Will I ever get used to it?" she asks.

"No," Lance replies with a little shake of his head. "But it'll get easier."

"Okay," Cia replies, hoping that the getting easier-part is going to happen soon.

* * *

When Johnny and Cia climb the truck what feels like an eternity later, they look at each other. Just for a moment, but that moment is enough that they wrap their arms around each other and share a long and deep and passionate kiss.

When they come up for air, Johnny locks eyes with her.

"I was looking forward to that all night!" he says.

"Yeah," Cia replies. "Me too!"

She looks into Johnny's eyes, and she loves the look in them - so warm and gentle and full of love. It makes her want to kiss him again. But then an image of his female fans flash before her mind's eyes, and she doesn't do it.

"I wasn't sure, though. You seemed to enjoy your fans' company."

She doesn't know why she said that. It's stupid, but the words are out now, and she can't take them back.

"I did," Johnny admits, and Cia feels a little stab in her heart. "As I said, they are great guys. I liked talking to them and - " He breaks off, mid-sentence. He studies her face.

"Waaaaaaaaaaait," he drawls. "Are you jealous?"

Cia shrugs. "What if I am?"

Johnny laughs a little at that. "There's no need to. As much as I enjoyed talking to them, they aren't you. Remember the dedication in my album?" - She nods. - " _You_ are the one owning my heart. Only you, okay?"

"Okay," Cia replies, but there's this voice in the back of her head asking what would happen if that changes. She tries to ignore it, but she fails.

"And you are the only one I want to do this with," Johnny goes on, pulling her into another kiss. It starts out gentle and sweet, but turns into a demanding kiss pretty quickly. The way Johnny's tongue is entangling her own into a passionate dance takes her breath away. And more importantly, it makes the voice in the back of her head finally shut up.

When they pull away, they both need to take a few deep breaths.

"And there are several other things I only want to do with you," Johnny says.

"Same," Cia replies.

Her reply brings a smile to Johnny's face.

"So, that's settled, then?" he asks.

"Yes."

"Okay," Johnny says, pulling her into another kiss before they finally let go of each other, he starts the truck and drives on.

However, when they reach the street where Cia lives, Johnny doesn't pull over. It makes Cia frown a little, but maybe he wants her to spend the night at his place so he can show her these other things he want to do only with her. Which is okay. Although Johnny usually asks before.

But when he drives past his street, too, Cia's frown deepens.

"Where are we going?" she asks.

"You'll see," Johnny replies. "It's a surprise."

"Okay," she says.

They spend the rest of the drive in silence, and Cia just looks out of the window, realizing that they are leaving the city.

When Johnny finally stops the truck, Cia can't help, but think that the place looks familiar.

"Hey, isn't that where we wanted to have our picnic?" she asks.

"Exactly," Johnny says. "Actually, it's the place where I first wanted to tell you that I love you. I had it all figured out, my album playing in the background, us having a nice picnic, then I would have shown you the booklet and the dedication and then I would have told you."

"Really?" Cia asks. The thought alone makes her smile.

"Yes," Johnny replies. "Things turned out … differently." He shrugs.

Then he leans over, and Cia expects him to kiss her, but instead he produces a blanket from under her seat. After that he opens his door and climbs outside. Cia does the same and watches how Johnny jumps on the truck bed, spreading out the blanket.

Then he turns back to Cia, holding out his hand.

Cia could just jump up there on the bed. She is a snow leopard after all, she knows how to jump, but she takes Johnny's hand with a smile and lets him pull her up on the bed.

They settle down on the blanket and Johnny wraps his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. Cia replies by putting her arms around his neck.

"I know, it's not the same, but -," Johnny begins.

"I love you!" Cia cuts in.

The words are out before she can stop herself.

"Hey!" Johnny protests.

"Sorry!" she says with a little laugh.

"Now I have to say it even more often!" he calls out.

"I love you!" he says, placing a quick kiss on her lips. "I love you, I love you, I love you!"

Cia smiles at him. "I love you, I love you, I love you, too!"

When they share another kiss, Cia realizes that they won't be able to keep it at kissing.

And she realizes that the voice in the back of her head hasn't spoken up again, too.

But all these thoughts are wiped away, when Johnny pulls her even closer, deepening their kiss in the process.


	29. Chapter 29

_Johnny_

"No, no, piggies, zhis is not how the dancing works!"

Johnny watches how Gunter slaps a hand against his forehead before he addresses Rosita's piglets - all twenty-five of them - in a speech. He switches from English to German, mixes up words, and so Johnny isn't quite sure what he's saying, but he presumes that it's about the importance of dancing and feeling the music.

Obviously, the piglets don't understand either because pretty soon, they start laughing and chasing each other around the garage. No, the _youth center_.

It's finally done. The youth center. It is finished!

Weeks have passed since Johnny's album release-party, weeks of hard work, weeks full of interviews and meet-and-greets with fans and, most of all, work at the garage. Cia even forced him to finally get some hours of sleep three times. While he kept complaining when he was drifting off to sleep, he's been more than thankful the next morning. _Very_ thankful.

And now it is finally done!

The thought alone makes him smile. As does the fact that Gunter has now proceeded to chase after the piglets, trying to get them back to their dancing practice, reminding them that the big opening is in three days and that they need to practice.

And he's right. The youth center is going to be officially opened in three days. Everything is prepared. Johnny has hired two social workers, worked out a timetable of events. And yes, he'd finally decided what to contribute. He's going to do boxing training. Actually, he's really looking forward to it.

But before that there's the official opening. There's going to be a concert. Ash, Meena, Rosita and Gunter, Johnny himself, Mike - yes, even Mike - are going to perform.

But before the concert, Gunter and the piglets are going to do their little dancing performance.

If Gunter can get the piglets back in line and perform, that is. Johnny laughs a little as he watches Gunter run after the piglets.

"No, piggies, now is not the time for the playing, it's time for the dancing!" Gunter calls out.

For a moment, Johnny thinks of stepping in or calling Cia for help - she knows how to get the piglets back in line after all -, but before he can do that, Rosita arrives to pick up her kids. She frowns a bit as she looks at her piglets being all over the place.

"Oh, Rosita!" Gunter calls out. "Come on, let's show the piggies how the dancing is done, ja?"

He holds out his hand. Rosita shrugs, places her yellow bag on the ground and takes it. Gunter looks at her with a big grin before he presses a button on his phone and suddenly, a new song starts. And then he and Rosita start dancing.

They twirl around on the dance floor, and it only takes the piglets a few moments before they start gathering around the pair, watching them dance.

And Johnny can't blame them. It is fun watching them. They are obviously having such a great time and their mood is filling the room. To Johnny, it feels like a warm wave washing over him.

Rosita and Gunter end their dance with a spectacular lifting figure that makes the piglets' jaws drop. Okay, Johnny's jaw drops, too, but he closes his mouth again when Gunter places Rosita on the floor again. The piglets start cheering and clapping.

Johnny claps, too, but then he hears clapping next to him, and it doesn't make much sense. The piglets are all there at the dance floor.

He turns his head and sets eyes on Ms. Crawly.

"Ms. Crawly!" he calls out. "What are you doing here?"

Okay, that probably wasn't the smartest thing to say. Or the politest. He hasn't seen Ms. Crawly in quite some time because of her sprained ankle. His father's heart attack and all the work he had to do kept him from visiting her.

He only heard from Cia that Ms. Crawly came back to the office soon after his album release-party, but that she still needed a walking stick. So he is quite surprised to see her here. Not to mention that she doesn't have a walking stick with her.

That probably explains his surprise. And the fact that he hasn't been polite.

"Oh, I haven't seen you in a long time," Ms. Crawly explains. "And Cia mentioned today that you'd be here, so I thought I'd stop by and make you some hot chocolate." She holds up her bag. "I even brought the good chocolate mix."

She smiles at him, and Johnny can't help, but return the smile. But there's a little pang in his heart, too. That Ms. Crawly shows up here at that gara-, youth center makes him realize how much he neglected the old iguana. Sure, they talked a bit at Ash's party, but he hasn't seen her since then. And all because he's been so busy and spent most of his free time with Cia.

Well, looks like he has to work on that. And he'll start by having hot chocolate with Ms. Crawly.

* * *

"I still can't believe you sprained your ankle at a dance night!" he says.

"Why not?" Ms. Crawly asks, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Uhm … because …"

Okay, she got him there. Because he didn't think she'd still be into dancing? No, that sounds too weird. He'd better not say that.

Because she should be more careful at her age? He'd better not say that either.

"Because ...," he starts again, but he still has no idea what to say.

Ms. Crawly chuckles. "You were the one who told me it's never too late for romance. So it's never too late to do the things I love, right? And I love dancing."

"Okay, point taken," Johnny says with a little chuckle of his own.

"So, the youth center is finally ready for the big opening?" Ms. Crawly asks.

"Yes, it is," Johnny says.

Ms. Crawly nods her head. "Cia mentioned that she had to leave earlier one day because she wanted to work on the lyrics for the song you want to play at that concert."

She goes on about how she can't wait for the concert and that she hopes that she and Herman can dance a bit, but Johnny isn't really listening.

Because he realized something, something important, something that makes his heart sink and his chest tighten.

He forgot about his song, his _original_ song!

Cia gave him the lyrics some time ago and he loved them, but then, he somehow forgot about it. He even remembers where he placed the lyrics. The paper is right there at his keyboard, ready to write a song, and he _forgot!_

Okay, it's probably because he only decided to write a new song a few days after his album release-party. But that doesn't matter now. The thing is that he decided to write a new song for the concert, and he _forgot about it!_

It was hard enough to persuade Cia to write lyrics for this occasion because she was worried about adding even more work to his workload. But he managed, somehow.

And now he _forgot to write the song!_

Okay, he still has three days. He can do it, right? Ash wrote her very first original song in one night. Granted, she didn't spend weeks with nearly no sleep, but she had broken up with Lance the night before that, had a breakdown on stage and definitely wasn't at her best. And she still wrote this amazing song.

So he should be able to write a song in three days, right? Easy-peasy. Okay, he has another meet-and-greet tomorrow, not to mention that he wants to visit his dad in prison after the meet-and-greet, plus, he somehow needs to hide the fact that he forgot about the song from Cia which is going to be difficult because he promised that they'd do some catching up as soon as he has more free time. And unfortunately, he sent her a text message that she can spend the next few nights at his place because, well, catching up!

He could slap himself! So stupid!

Well, maybe if he left right now he can get some work done - or maybe finish the whole song - before Cia shows up tonight.

"Johnny?" Ms. Crawly asks and she somehow sounds concerned.

"Yes?" he asks.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course!" he says.

"Are you sure? Your chocolate is getting cold," the iguana says, and she looks so concerned and a little worried that Johnny just doesn't have the heart to tell her that he has to leave right now. Maybe he can talk to her a little longer. Actually, it's nice to sit here and talk to Ms. Crawly. No, he doesn't have to leave now. He can spend some more time with her, because, really, he still has three days to finish his song! That's a lot!

"Oh, right," he says, quickly taking a sip of his hot chocolate. Which turns into a long one because it tastes so good! He totally forgot how delicious Ms. Crawly's hot chocolate mix is.

"Soooo," he drawls after another long sip, "how's Herman?"


	30. Chapter 30

_Cia_

Cia is really looking forward to spending the evening with Johnny. It's the first time in ages that he has an evening off and they can spend a few hours and just relax, watch a movie or something. And then do other things.

It'd be nice not having to check his level of tiredness, even exhaustion, before pondering what they'd do or if they'd do anything at all. And if she'd just to force him to get some rest.

No, tonight is going to be different. And Cia _can't_ wait!

But before that, she and Mr. Moon have one of their meetings where they go over some scenes and try to figure out how to make them even better, think about some plot twists, and brainstorm about what their next show is going to be. And she's looking forward to that, too. She loves talking about writing, and she loves writing. So these meetings are always great fun.

Ms. Crawly pokes her head in once, telling Mr. Moon that she's leaving work for the day if he doesn't need her any longer, and of course, the koala is fine with it. Cia is glad to see that Ms. Crawly doesn't need her walking stick any longer and seems to do so much better. Really, a sprained ankle can be a pain in the butt. She knows that from experience. Not to mention that crutches and walking sticks are just, well, _ugh!_

And it must have been even worse for Ms. Crawly because it took her so much longer to heal. Which probably is no wonder at her age. Although, now that she's thinking of it, Cia has no idea how old Ms. Crawly actually is. The thing is, sprained ankles are terrible, especially when you've just recently rediscovered your passion for dancing, like Ms. Crawly has.

Cia can only hope that Ms. Crawly is going to be more careful in the future. And if she isn't, well, Cia is always going to be around to help out with office work.

Mr. Moon and she go back to business right after the door closes behind Ms. Crawly, and when they are finally pleased with how the new scene turned out, Cia is almost shocked to see how much time has passed.

"Okay, maybe we should call it a day, too," Mr. Moon says. "I am pretty sure you have plans for the evening."

He winks at her, and Cia replies to that with a smile.

"That, I do," she says. "I'll work on the next scene tomorrow and send it to you as soon as I can, okay?"

"Take your time, Cia," Mr. Moon replies. "We are way ahead with this new show. Now off with you! Spend a nice evening with your boyfriend!"

"Thank you, Mr. Moon!" Cia calls out as she grabs her messenger bag and simply flies out of the office.

When she passes the rehearsal rooms she runs into Meena. The elephant is just leaving her rehearsal room.

"Oh, hi Meena!" Cia greets her. "On your way home?"

"Yes!" she replies. "You too?"

"Yeah. Wanna go together? I think we're heading in the same direction?"

"Sure! Oh, Ash left ten minutes ago. Maybe we can catch up with her."

Cia grins. "Then we better hurry!"

And with that, they dart to the foyer.

However, they catch up with Ash sooner than they would have expected. They find the porcupine at the front doors, her guitar case strapped to some sort of a trolley, and said trolley is somehow stuck in the door. Ash kicks the door open again, but she can only pull the trolley a bit before the door falls shut again, jamming the trolley once more.

Ash lets out a frustrated groan, a very loud frustrated groan before she kicks the door open with a little more force, pulls on her trolley, it slips her hand, and trolley along with the guitar case rumble down the front stairs, heading towards the street.

The sound that leaves Ash's mouth now is a shocked shriek. Luckily, though, the guitar case-trolley never reaches the street because it slams into a lamp post before that.

Now Ash sighs in relief before that sigh turns into another frustrated groan.

"Stupid thing!" she calls out as she stomps down the stairs.

Meena and Cia share a look before they run after her.

Ash is picking up her trolley, controlling the straps on her guitar case when they reach her.

"Hi Ash!" Meena greets her, and Cia asks, "What's this about?"

Ash looks at them for a second before she rolls her eyes.

"Lance insisted," she explains. "Obviously, I am in no condition to carry a guitar case around the usual way, thus the trolley. The other option Lance brought was buying another guitar and leave one at the theater and one at home, so I don't have to carry one around, but no. I can't just replace my guitar." She gently strokes the guitar case. "We've been through so much together!"

"I see," Cia says.

"Hey, Ash," Meena speaks up, "Cia and I are heading home, wanna join us? We can add a little stroll through the park!"

"Sounds nice!" Ash says. "But I know for sure that Cia lives in the other direction. Although she isn't so sure about that when she's had a few beers." Ash winks at her, and the smirk on her face is very, very broad.

Now it's Cia's turn to roll her eyes. "I'm heading to Johnny's," she explains.

"Oh," Meena says, putting her ears over her face. "It's fine if you're in a hurry. You don't have to join us for a stroll in the park."

"Are you kidding me?" Cia calls out. "Spending some time with my girls? Count me in!"

And with that she links arms with Meena and pulls her into the direction of the park. Meena smiles and grabs Ash's guitar case-trolley with her trunk, pulling it along.

Ash makes something that sounds like a mixture of a hiss and blowing a raspberry.

"Really, you guys," she says as she catches up with them and starts walking next to Meena, "you have to stop treating me like this. I'm pregnant, not sick!"

"Oh, sor…," Meena begins, but Cia cuts in.

"We're just trying to help," she says.

"I get that!" Ash says. "But really, you're all tiptoeing around me and take things out of my hands, it's just hard to deal with. Next thing I know I am not allowed to sing and play the guitar anymore or what?"

"No, really, Ash, that's not it, we're just…"

But Ash doesn't let her finish.

"I mean, Johnny didn't let me work at the garage, Lance insists I use this stupid trolley, and every time he sees me carrying something, even if it's just a cup of tea, he takes it out of my hand! Not to mention that I want to keep this pregnancy a secret until it's starting to show. I'll let my fans know when I have to, _not_ before! This is going to be awkward enough anyway and I am _not_ going to do this picture-thing where I post a picture of my growing belly every few days. Nah-ah, not me!"

They enter the park now.

"Which means I had to come up with a logical explanation why I need this… this…" - she points at the trolley - " _this_ when a fan asked me on facebook why I have a trolley now. And you know what I told them? That I'm suffering from backpain! Which isn't even a lie, I am suffering from backpain, but not because I've been carrying around my guitar case! No, it's because I'm pregnant, which I don't want to tell my fans yet, but they're getting suspicious because Lance insisted that I have to use this trolley! And now I have to lie to my fans and drag around this stupid thing, and it's all so … stupid … and I don't know … how to handle … this. … It is just … just …"

Ash's become slower and slower, her breath coming in pants, until she finally stops.

Cia looks from Ash to Meena, then back to Ash.

"Ash, you okay?"

Ash opens her mouth to say something, but no words come out.

"Do you need something? Water, maybe?"

Ash nods.

"Meena, see if you can get a bottle of water somewhere!" Cia says to Meena, and the teenage elephant nods, lets go of the trolley and runs off.

Cia takes Ash by the hand, putting a hand on her shoulder and guides her over to a park bench. Carefully, she helps her up. Ash is still panting for air.

Again, she wants to say something, but when no words leave her mouth, she just points in the direction of her guitar case-trolley.

"Oh right!" Cia calls out, runs over and pulls the trolley to the park bench.

Then Meena arrives with a bottle of water, handing it to Ash who drowns half the bottle greedily.

"Better?" Meena asks when Ash finally puts down the bottle. The porcupine just nods.

A few more moments pass and then Ash speaks up. "I just forgot how easily I exhaust these days," she says. "Doctor said it's normal."

Cia feels how relief washes over her. She's really been worried.

"Well," she says with a smirk, "seems like you actually do need our help every now and then."

Ash twists her mouth. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"No," Cia replies with a little laugh as she places a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Just that you have to accept it."

"Ugh," Ash makes before she brings the bottle to her lips again and drinks the rest of it in long gulps.

* * *

When Cia arrives at Johnny's apartment building that evening, she's in high spirits. Meena, Ash and her stayed at the park a bit longer, chatting and talking about the youth center and Ash's next album, and it was so much fun that she just can't dampen down the grin on her face. She doesn't even want to.

One of Johnny's neighbors is just leaving the apartment and holds the door open for her, so she doesn't have to ring. She reaches the door of Johnny's apartment and knocks.

Okay, she's showing up later than planned, but Johnny didn't call or send her a text, so he must be fine with it. However, when he doesn't answer the door, it seems a little off.

Maybe he's mad that she didn't show up earlier? Maybe he went out without her when she didn't show up in time?

She knocks again. No reply.

Now she's definitely starting to get worried. He really must be mad. But on the other hand, Johnny would never just leave without her, and it's definitely not like Johnny to give her the cold shoulder like that.

She moves her hand to the doorknob and carefully twists it. The door opens.

Okay, that's even less like Johnny to leave his apartment without locking the door. Cia steps inside, and then she hears it. Music. So this means Johnny is at home.

She releases the breath she's been holding in a long sigh. Obviously, Johnny's just practising on his keyboard and just didn't hear her knock.

She closes the door behind her and walks over to the living room.

Something seems a little off, though. Johnny isn't playing a song, he's just playing a few scores. Then he stops and starts all over again with the same few scores. This is weird.

Johnny can't see her. His keyboard faces the window, so he's showing her his back. She crosses the living room, making sure to make a little noise, but Johnny doesn't turn around.

Okay, maybe he is mad after all. Cia moves a little closer.

"Johnny?" she asks, carefully, but he doesn't react.

"Johnny?" she asks again, placing a hand on his shoulder, and as soon as her hand touches him, Johnny jumps with a yelp.

"Cia!?" he calls out. "What are you doing here?"

Cia frowns at that. "Well, we wanted to meet tonight. Sorry I'm late."

"Tonight? What time…" He checks his clock. "Oh."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, totally fine, really!"

The way he's saying these words, a little too quickly and a little pressed, makes her doubt that.

"You sure?"

"Yes!"

Again, he replied too quickly and a little too loudly.

Cia looks at him, but he's avoiding her eyes. Another sign that something's off.

Cia searches his face before she looks over to the music stand. Her frown deepens when she realizes that the paper looks very familiar.

"Are those my lyrics for your new song?" she asks.

Johnny's eyes widen and he looks from the paper to her.

"...Yes."

"The song you want to play at the opening of the youth center?"

"Yes."

"Haven't you finished that song already?"

Johnny lowers his eyes. "...No."

"What?"

"I-I forgot about it. There was so much work to do! I just … forgot. But I can still do it. There's plenty of time!"

"The opening is in three days," Cia states.

"Which is plenty of time! No worries!" he gets to his feet. "Now, what do you want to do? Grab a pizza, watch a movie, cuddle on the couch? I am leaning towards the third option."

Cia sighs, shaking her head a little.

"I want you to finish your song," she says.

Okay, to be honest, she's leaning towards the third option, too, but she knows how important it is to Johnny to play a new song at the opening.

"But-"

She places a kiss on his lips to make him shut up.

"The way I see it," she says when she pulls away again, "you only have three days to write a new song. And no matter what you say that's _not_ a lot of time. Especially when you take into consideration that there's still a bunch of work to do before the actual opening. So you better get back to composing right now. I'll just be there on the couch and read."

"But Cia, really, we can … I mean, we wanted to … I can work on the song later, I swear!"

Cia raises a brow before she pulls him into another kiss. She pulls away rather quickly, though, or else she can't guarantee she'd let get Johnny back to writing his song.

"Get to work, Johnny!" she says.

Johnny looks at her, his eyes wide. And then it's him who pulls her into a kiss, a passionate, hot, _very_ hot kiss! And when he lets go of her, Cia really needs to muster up all the self-control she has to _not_ drag him to the bedroom right now.

So she just smiles at him.

"Thank you, Cia!" he says, placing one quick kiss on her lips, and Cia has to fight down the urge to drag him to the bedroom even more.

"No problem," she replies.

Johnny sits down again and goes back to playing the scores from before, adding a bit more to it.

Then she finally turns around and walks over to the couch. Her knees are still a bit wobbly from that kiss from before, but she can handle that. She takes out a book from the messenger bag and slumps down on the couch. She tries to read, she really does, but somehow, she can't concentrate. Which probably has something to do with the racing heart in her chest. So she goes over the same sentences over and over and over again. Turning on the TV is no option, though. It'd distract Johnny too much.

So Cia just stares at a page in the book, hoping her pulse is going to reach a normal level soon.


	31. Chapter 31

_Johnny_

Johnny can't say for sure how he did it. He remembers he was totally lost in the song-writing zone. It was the good kind of being lost, the kind of being lost that sucks you into the zone and makes you get things done.

When he resurfaces it's dawn. And even more importantly, his song is finished.

With a the feeling of satisfaction he gets up and stretches, but then his eyes fall on Cia who has fallen asleep on the couch. He feels a little pang in his heart. It's due to his obliviousness they didn't get to spend a nice and relaxing evening together. But at the same time a warm feeling is spreading through his body as he studies her face. She relinquished spending a nice and relaxing evening with him, reminded him of his responsibility and put aside her own wishes so he could do what needed to be done.

And he can tell for sure that she was looking forward to this evening they wanted to spend together. He saw it in the way she looked at him. There was this slight glimmer of disappointment in her eyes and she twisted her mouth in a way that told him clearly that she wasn't happy with what was going on. All this happened in the blink of an eye. Everyone else would have missed it, everyone who didn't know her as well as he did. And yet, she insisted he finished his song. Because it was more important than a relaxing evening on the couch.

If he could, he would love her even more for this, but he can't. Because he already loves her so very much that he just can't love her more than he already does.

He kneels down next to the couch and gently strokes her cheek with his fingers.

"What did I do to deserve you?" he whispers because really, he has no idea. He's just an ordinary guy, nothing special, yet this wonderful female has fallen for him.

He places a quick, gentle kiss on her lips before ever so carefully he picks her up and carries her to the bedroom. Cia only stirs a bit in her sleep, and when he places her on the bed, she wraps her arms around his neck. With a glance at the alarm clock, Johnny realizes that he can allow himself two hours of sleep.

His smile increases as he lies down next to Cia, stroking her cheek once more before he drifts off to sleep.

* * *

"Oh no, Casper is about to lose the rhythm, I can see it!" Rosita says next to Johnny, her hands clasped over her mouth.

It's been like that ever since Gunter and the piglets started their little performance. First, Hannah was "about to stumble, I can tell!", then Tess was "about to take a wrong step, oh no!", followed by Freddy being "about to bump into Andy, look out!", and now, obviously, Casper was about to lose the rhythm.

None of this has happened, though, the piglets are doing great, putting on an amazing show. Nonetheless, Rosita is watching them, nervously shifting from one foot to the other.

Johnny rolls his eyes a little and places a reassuring hand on Rosita's shoulder, getting a better hold on it when Rosita mumbles that George is about to forget the next steps. He's afraid the female pig might run out there on the stage any minute now. And he doesn't want to let that happen. The piglets are having so much fun and it's obvious that the audience is enjoying their little show. He doesn't want to let Rosita let it ruin for them because she's overly protective. And the fact that this is the grand opening of the youth center, _his_ youth center, might play a role, too. Just a little, minor role, but still.

Yes, that's right. The day is finally here, the grand opening of the youth center!

The last few days passed in a blur of finishing touches to the youth center and practicing and interviews, Johnny didn't even have time to get nervous. Heck, he didn't even have time to get excited, but the moment, Mr. Moon stepped out on the stage and welcomed the guests was the moment, Johnny for the very first time realized, _actually_ realized, that it is happening! His youth center is opening! And that was when the excitement kicked in once and for all. Unfortunately, it brought a fair amount of nervousness with it, but that's okay. After all his concerts and interviews Johnny knows how to deal with it.

From watching the piglets practice, he knows that their little performance is coming to end. He's coming up next. He wants to turn to Cia and kiss her one last time before he has to go out there, but a gasp from Rosita reminds him that he better keeps his hand on her shoulder. And kissing Cia while having one hand on Rosita's shoulder seems a little weird, so he settles for taking Cia's hand and smiling at her. And Cia returns the smile.

Finally, the piglets strike their finishing pose and next to him, Rosita lets out a long sigh. And then Rosita starts clapping and cheering so loudly, he flinches. But then the rest of the audience joins in and Gunter and the piglets are thanked for their little show with thundering applause.

Johnny decides that he can now let go of Rosita. And not a second too soon because the next thing he knows Rosita is overrun by twenty-five piglets who are all trying to hug her.

He laughs a little at that, but then he turns to Cia.

"One kiss for good luck?" he asks.

"Not that you're gonna need it," Cia replies, "but sure."

And then they share one quick kiss. Okay, it was supposed to be a quick kiss, but somehow, it must have turned out a little too long, because suddenly, Johnny can hear Eddie clear his throat extra-loudly.

They pull apart and Johnny looks at the sheep.

"Sorry," Eddie says and nods towards the piano, "but I can't pull this out there alone."

"Oh yeah, right!" Johnny says quickly, giving Cia's hand one last squeeze before he joins Eddie.

On his way there, Ms. Crawly gives him a thumbs-up and Johnny smiles at her in return. It reminds him of his very first concert when Ms. Crawly gave him a backrub because he's been so tensed up and gave him a thumbs-up before he began, and then she handed him a towel afterwards.

Ms. Crawly has always been so supportive. He needs to thank her officially for all this some time.

He thinks about this a bit more, an idea forming in his head.

He sits down on the stool, his fingers already placed over the keys, but then he speaks up.

"Thank you all for coming tonight!" he says. "You're about to hear a new song of mine and I want to thank my girlfriend for writing the lyrics again. And I want to thank her, too, that she reminded me of what's important so I could get this song done in time." Cia looks at him from backstage and he smiles at her.

"And there's someone else I need to thank," he goes on. "A very special old lady who's dear to me. She's the one who taught me how to play the piano. And she's been so supportive and caring, and I really don't know how I'll ever be able to express how thankful I am. So in lack of better words, thank you, Ms. Crawly!"

He looks at the iguana with a smile and she looks back at him, her mouth open in surprise before it turns into a big smile and she places a hand over her heart.

Then Johnny starts playing his song.

* * *

In retrospective, Johnny can only say that the opening was a great success. He was doing his rounds, welcoming and thanking people, he even ran into some fans he remembered from the album-release-party. And because Jane always reminds him how important talking to his fans is he stopped and exchanged some words with them, asked them what they thought of his new song and such. They were mostly interested in the old lady who taught him to play the piano and wanted to know more about her although one of the cheetah girls - wasn't her name Dana? - expressed that she would have loved to hear a song with lyrics written by him. He even remembered that she had already told him something similar at the party, so he didn't elaborate on that and told them more about Ms. Crawly which his fans seemed to like.

It took him a while to find Cia - she'd kept in the background, as always, talking to Meena - and he was quite happy that she was fine with leaving.

He's still thinking about the opening as he and Cia walk back to his apartment. It's convenient that the youth center is so close, because he loves to walk side by side with her.

"That was so cute what you said on stage," Cia says.

"You mean, thanking you?" he asks. "It was only fair."

"Yes, that too," Cia says, leaning in a little closer to him as he wraps an arm around her hips. "But I meant what you said about Ms. Crawly. She was so happy!"

"That was only fair, too," Johnny says. "Without Ms. Crawly, I would have never learned how to play the piano. My music would be totally different." And then he realizes something. "Actually, my music would be totally different without you as well."

Cia looks at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, without you, I'd still be playing the piano, yes, but I'd only play cover songs," he explains.

"I am pretty sure the label would have gotten you a songwriter," Cia says.

"But I don't want that!" Johnny says, stopping and turning so that he's facing Cia. "I want you to be a part of my music!"

Cia smiles at him, but when he wants to kiss her, she pulls away.

"Can I tell you a secret?" she asks.

"Of course!"

"I think that I wouldn't be able to write lyrics for someone else. It is you who inspires me to write them," she says.

That's something new. Johnny never thought that he could actually inspire someone to do something, let alone, inspire Cia to write these amazing lyrics. He always thought that she did it because, well, she's great at writing. He never thought that _he_ , the ordinary guy, could play a role in that. He always imagined this as some sort of a one-way road. He had no idea that it is more like an exchange. And the thought alone makes this warm feeling spread through his body again.

"Really?" he asks, and he knows he's grinning like an idiot.

"Really!" Cia replies with a broad smile.

He doesn't know if she wanted to say anything else, because if she did, he doesn't let her. He just pulls her into a kiss.


	32. Chapter 32

_Cia_

The week after the grand opening of the youth center, Mr. Moon contacts Cia to ask her to help Ms. Crawly out. The workload - in other words the pile of papers on her desk - has reached a worrying level again. Or a life-threatening. That probably depends on where you stand when the paper tower collapses.

So Cia enters the office one morning - and stops rooted to the spot.

Yes, she did expect that the tower of papers on Ms. Crawly's desk would be high, and so it's not this that made her stop. No, what made her stop and look at Ms. Crawly's desk with wide eyes is the amount of cards she can see there. From her position at the door they look a lot like birthday cards.

Which raises the question: Did she forget Ms. Crawly's birthday? But that can't be! Johnny would have told her, for sure!

Which raises another question: What are all these cards doing on Ms. Crawly's desk? Was there a holiday or something she hasn't heard of yet? Again, Johnny would have told her. Or maybe it's an iguana-thing and Johnny doesn't even know himself?

Cia has no idea, so she moves closer.

"Good morning, Ms. Crawly!" she says with a smile, taking a closer look at the cards - and is still unable to make head or tail of the cards.

"Oh, hello, Cia!" Ms. Crawly greets her happily.

"What's this?" Cia asks further, pointing at the cards. "Did I miss your birthday or name day or so?" Okay, the name day was just an idea. She isn't even sure what Ms. Crawly's first name is. She only knows her as Ms. Crawly, and so far this has been all she needed to know.

"Oh, this!" Ms. Crawly calls out even more happily than before. "Those are thank-you cards by Johnny's fans! Ever since he mentioned that it was me who taught him to play the piano, they keep coming in. Isn't this great? Those young folks, nowadays, so precious!"

She's grinning so broadly that Cia can't help, but smile back at her.

"Yes, yes, Johnny's fans are great!" she says, forcing the corners of her mouth up a little more. She just doesn't want Ms. Crawly - or anyone else, for that matter - to find out that she isn't really agreeing with that. Well, sure, most of Johnny's fans are great, there are just some that are … _different._

She grabs some papers from the tower on Ms. Crawly's desk and walks over to her own desk. She was planning on pouring herself into work, but somehow, it doesn't work today.

Because every few minutes the words of the letter she received from one of Johnny's fans are echoing in her ears.

 _Stop holding Johnny back! He'd write better songs without you!_

The letter arrived on Tuesday after the youth center-opening, a plain envelope, no sender, of course, the words written in block capitals. Reading it sent a pang to her heart and a lump to her throat. The good thing was that Johnny had already left for rehearsals or he would have realized for sure that something was off.

For a moment, Cia even thought of telling Johnny about it, but then she decided against it. Because, really, what good would that do? It would only make Johnny feel bad and there's nothing he can do. Addressing his fans publicly? That wouldn't change anything. If this fan is so convinced that she is holding Johnny back, nothing in the world could tell them otherwise, not even Johnny.

So Cia just took a deep breath, trying her best to not take this personally and and to ignore the tight feeling in her chest. She put the letter into a drawer.

Cia isn't even sure why she didn't just throw the letter out. Because that would have been the logical thing to do, right? Throw it out and be done with it! Forget the words once and for all! Easy-peasy, right?

No, not for her. Because she knows one thing for sure. She could never forget these words. They've been circling in her brain ever since she received the letter.

Maybe that's why she kept the letter. Throwing it out wouldn't make her forget.

And there's another reason, too, maybe. What if this fan is right? What if she _is_ holding Johnny back? What if he would be a better musician without her and her lyrics?

Part of her is screaming no whenever these thoughts make it to her brain, but there's another quieter voice that says that maybe they are right. And this second voice, it's more persistent. It keeps saying that the fan could be right over and over and over again even when the screaming voice in her head has long faded.

But that can't be true! She and Johnny just spoke about it after the concert. Johnny _loves_ her lyrics! He even got the label to hire her as his personal lyricist! He wanted _her_ , not anyone else!

 _And what if he did that because he loves you and doesn't want to tell you the truth?_ the persistent voice in her head asks again. _Maybe he's just afraid you'd break up with him if he told you he wants to write his own lyrics._

 _Nooooooooo!_ the screaming voice chimes in, and Cia can feel a headache building up. She presses her fingers to her temples, trying to rub the pain away. It doesn't work.

"Cia?" Ms. Crawly asks, and Cia jumps a little at the sound of her voice. "Could you please get a cup of coffee for Mr. Moon? My ankle is hurting a bit today, and I'm not sure if I-"

Cia doesn't let her finish. "Of course!" she calls out.

Then she darts out of the room, hoping a little movement would help her. The bad thing is she can't just outrun the voices in her head.

* * *

Johnny asked her to come over for dinner that evening, saying that he wants to cook. Which is fine with Cia. Johnny might not be an amazing cook, but he knows some really delicious dishes. Cia absolutely loves the spaghetti he makes.

And so it makes her smile when he serves her a plate of spaghetti before he sits down next to her.

"Yay, my favorite!" she calls out before she quickly places a kiss on his lips.

Johnny grins. "Yeah, I know. That's why I made them."

They eat in silence before Johnny speaks up again.

"I have some good news and bad news," he says.

"Oh?" Cia makes.

"Yes, well, the good news are that the label absolutely loves the original song I played at the opening. And a lot of fans have asked about it, so they want to release it as a single," Johnny explains.

"That's amazing!"

"Yes! But it brings me to the bad news," Johnny goes on. "I'll be in the recording studio a lot from now on, so it we can't spend as much time together as we thought. I'm sorry!"

Cia places her hand on top of Johnny's. "That's fine, Johnny," she says. "One of the downsides of dating an upcoming artist, I guess. I can live with that. It's great your fans love your music!"

"Thank you!" Johnny calls out before he pulls her into a quick kiss. It tastes like spaghetti, and Cia just loves it.

Then he looks her deeply into the eyes.

"I know I am repeating what I said after the opening, but my music wouldn't be the same without you," he says.

Cia expects the voice in her head, the persistent one, to speak up at that point. She expects it to say that Johnny might be lying. But it doesn't. Instead this warm feeling spreads in her chest and it brings a smile to her face.

She sees it as a sign that Johnny is telling the truth.

She leans in closer, kissing him gently before she pulls away and speaks up. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome!" Johnny says before he replies with gently kissing her as well.

When they finally break apart to continue their dinner, Cia remembers something.

"Oh, by the way," she says, "did you know that Ms. Crawly received thank-you cards for teaching you to play the piano?"

"Yes! I saw them when I had a meeting with Mr. Moon yesterday. My fans are amazing!"

"Yes, they are," Cia agrees, but she can't help, but add in her head that, well, most of them are.

* * *

Some weeks pass and Cia has almost forgotten about the letter. Okay, not really. The words are still circling around in her head, but just not as much as before.

Cia is looking forward for the words to fade and fade until they've disappeared completely. And then, maybe, she can throw out this letter.

But that's not what happens. Instead another letter arrives. Plain envelope. No sender. Cia knows what that means.

 _Stop forcing yourself on him!_ it says.

It brings another pang to her heart, another lump to her throat before Cia puts the letter into the drawer to the other one.

Again, she tries to not take this personally. Again, she tries to remind herself of all the other amazing fans Johnny has.

 _Then why haven't they sent you any thank-you cards?_ the persistent voice in her head asks.

Cia just shakes her head forcefully and leaves the apartment for work because Mr. Moon asked for her help in the office again. Maybe today she can pour herself into work. The pile of papers on Ms. Crawly's desk she saw on her way to a meeting with Mr. Moon yesterday seemed promising. She can only hope it'll work today.

Yeah, she can only hope.


	33. Chapter 33

_Johnny_

With all the things going on - the time in the recording studio, the release of the new single - Johnny almost forgot about one very important event.

Luckily, he receives a text message from Ash.

 _Lance and I are getting married on Friday. When you're free you can join us at the registry office at 3 p.m. We'll have a little get-together at the Sunrise Lounge afterwards. Greetings, Ash_

Johnny raises a brow at this … wedding invitation of some sorts and looks at Cia, who's sitting next to him on the couch. Her phone beeped at the same time, so this _invitation_ was probably sent out to all of them.

"Did Ash invite you to her wedding, too?" he asks.

Cia looks up from her phone. "Yup."

"This is… very Ash," Johnny manages to say.

"That's one way to put it," Cia replies with a little laugh as she cuddles up to his side. Johnny puts an arm around her shoulders and pulls her even closer. But then their phones beep again and they both check their messages.

 _P.S.: You don't need to dress up, but if you want to, wear dark colors like black or dark blue. Thanks!_

"And I guess that's her way to say, _I'll kill you if you wear bright colors_ ," Cia says.

"You bet!" Johnny says.

Then they both laugh and Cia lets her head sink to his shoulder and places a kiss on top of her head before they turn their attention back to the TV.

* * *

It's Thursday night, as in _late_ at Thursday night when Johnny's phone rings. He still keeps it on the nightstand. Cia isn't happy that even after his father recovered Johnny is still bringing the phone to the bedroom, Johnny knows that.

And she likes it even less when they are in the middle of kissing and about to do more and Johnny stops to check his phone, but something tells him that he should do that. So he pulls away and sits up. He shoots an apologizing look at Cia. She replies by twisting her mouth.

"Sorry," he says, then he grabs his phone and checks the caller ID.

"It's Ash," he adds with another apologetic look towards Cia, and it seems to smoothen the twist of her mouth a bit.

"Hi Ash," he greets his friend as he takes the call. "What's up?"

" _Hi Johnny,"_ Ash replies and her voice sounds a little low which he doesn't really like. " _Am I.. am I interrupting something?"_

"No, Ash, no, you aren't interrupting something," he says, followed by an _Ow!_ when Cia punches his upper arm.

" _You sure?"_

"Yeah, I just stubbed my toe... Ow!" he makes again as Cia punches his upper arm with a little more force than before. "Now will you look at that? It happened again," he adds with a nervous laugh.

" _Ooooookay,"_ Ash drawls, and then there's a little pause. Just when Johnny wants to ask her what's going on, the porcupine sighs.

" _I know it's late,"_ Ash says, " _but c-can you come over? I need… someone to talk to."_

"Yeah, sure!" Johnny replies quickly. There's something in her voice that tells him that he should get to her better sooner than later.

" _Okay, later, Johnny!"_

"Bye, Ash!"

He ends the call and looks at Cia. He tries to look as apologetic as he can and opens his mouth to say something, something that brings across how sorry he is, but he doesn't get a chance.

"Go," Cia says.

"What?" he asks, eyes wide.

"Ash wants you to come over, right?"

He nods.

"Then go," Cia says.

He opens his mouth to say something, but words leave him, so he pulls her into a kiss. He wants to keep it short and gentle, but somehow, he can't stop himself and deepens the kiss. When they finally pull apart, they both have to catch their breath first.

Cia looks into his eyes deeply. He expects her to kiss him, but she just puts her hands to his chest and shoves him away.

"Now go!" she says. "Or I won't let you go anywhere tonight."

"Right!" he calls out.

He's about to get up, but he can't resist and places another quick kiss on her lips. He can feel how Cia simply melts into this kiss, but then she shoves him away again, gently punching his chest.

"Go, go, go!" she says.

Johnny just gets up with a grin and starts picking up his clothes from the floor.

* * *

When Johnny arrives at Ash's place, he can't help, but register that she looks a bit worried. She immediately guides him to the living room.

"Do you want something to drink?" Ash asks. "I only have orange juice, water, and tea, though. Oh, and decaffeinated coffee. Lance banned all alcohol and caffeine from this apartment because…" She points at her belly with a little laugh that rings a bit wrong in Johnny's ears.

"Water is fine," Johnny says.

For a moment, he thinks of getting a glass of water himself. He knows where the kitchen is and all, but he decides against it. He remembers all too well how annoyed Ash can be if someone treats her differently due to her condition. So he can at least let her do something as easy as getting a glass of water.

"Okay." Ash nods and leaves the living room, only to return a few moments later with two glasses of water.

She hands Johnny his glass and settles down on the couch next to him. Johnny waits for her to speak up, looking at her expectantly, but Ash only stares into her glass.

"So, what's up?" he asks gently. "And where's Lance, by the way?"

"Ah, you know that saying that the groom isn't supposed to see the bride twenty-four hours before the wedding? Lance is spending the night at a hotel. Not because we actually _believe_ that stuff or anything. We are just not taking any risks." She shrugs.

"Makes sense," Johnny says.

He waits for Ash to continue, but she doesn't.

"You said you wanted to talk to someone?" he suggests.

"Yes," Ash replies. "Actually, I wanted to talk to _you_."

"Okay." He nods. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

Ash sighs and falls silent again, her eyes still glued to her glass as she sinks even more into herself.

Something in Johnny's brain clicks, and he thinks he knows what's going on.

"You aren't getting cold feet, are you?"

Ash yanks her head up and looks at him.

 _Bingo!_ he thinks.

With a sigh Ash turns away again, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"I'm not getting cold feet," the female porcupine says. "It's more that I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing."

"Yeah, I think that's pretty much what they call _getting cold feet_ ," Johnny says, winking at Ash when she looks up at him. She laughs a little laugh again, but this time, it sounds genuine.

She turns her eyes away from Johnny again.

"I am just wondering if it is the right thing to do. Marrying Lance, I mean," Ash says. "Am I doing it because I want to or because it's what's the logical thing to do. With the baby coming and all. Do I really want to marry Lance or is it just because I think it's what I should do? I've never been with anyone else. Maybe I'm doing this because I just don't know better? I have no idea."

She shakes her head a little.

"I think that's normal, Ash," Johnny says.

"Yeah, maybe," Ash replies. "But is it right? Am I doing the right thing, Johnny?"

She looks at him with big questioning eyes, but the thing is, he can't tell her what to do. But there's something else he can do.

"Let me tell you what my mom once told me," he says. "But first, you need to close your eyes."

Ash looks at him with a raised brow.

"Ash, please."

She shrugs and closes her eyes.

Johnny raises one hand and pokes Ash's forehead gently.

"Forget what that voice up here is telling you," he says and moves his hand to her chest, letting it rest there for a bit. "Just listen to that voice here. It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong, but as long as you listen to what your heart is telling you it's going to be fine. Because that's what's going to make you happy."

There's a little frown wrinkling Ash's forehead as she's letting his words sink in. But then it disappears and Ash seems to relax again. Johnny takes his hand away again.

After a few moments Ash opens her eyes and looks at him.

"Thank you, Johnny," she says with a smile.

He returns the smile. "You're welcome."

But then he remembers something.

"Uhm, just to be sure, should we still come to the registry office tomorrow?" he asks.

Ash laughs, and it sounds so clear and right that it makes Johnny smile even more. Then Ash wraps her arms around his arm, leaning against him.

"Yeah!" she calls out. "Yeah, you should!"

"Good." Now it's Johnny's turn to laugh a little.

"Just one question, Johnny," Ash says. "If that's okay."

"Yes?"

"I know your mom died when you were five, so what was bothering five-year-old Johnny so much that she told you that?" She looks up at him with big eyes.

"Actually, I was four," Johnny replies. He doesn't remember many things about his mom, but he remembers every detail when she told him what he just told Ash. The smell of breakfast, the light in the kitchen, his mom's voice, her warm hand on his chest. Her smile. He can't remember what her face looked like, but he can remember this smile. Every little detail of her smile. And it always brings a smile to his face. It's one of the memories of his mom that doesn't make him sad. No, it only brings a smile to his face, a warm, loving smile.

"Johnny?" Ash asks, and when he looks at her, he can see the insecurity in her eyes. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.

"No, no, it's fine!" Johnny says, giving her hand a little squeeze. He smiles at her. "I couldn't decide what I wanted to have for breakfast. I really liked waffles at that time, but my favorite superhero always had toast for breakfast, so I didn't know what to do."

Ash looks at him with wide eyes. "Are you really comparing my situation to not being able to decide what you wanted to have for breakfast when you were five?"

Johnny shrugs. "It was an important decision for me."

They look at each other, then both burst into laughter.

When they've calmed down, Ash lets go off his arm. Johnny watches how she grabs her glass of water and takes a sip.

"Just to be sure," he begins, because, really, he _needs_ to know, "we still should show up at the registry office tomorrow, right?"

Ash rolls her eyes. "Yes, you dork!"

* * *

When Johnny opens his eyes the next morning, the first thing he sees, is Cia's sleeping face. He came back home so late last night, that she had fallen asleep, although, knowing Cia, he's pretty sure she stayed awake as long as she could.

He brings a hand to her cheek and gently strokes it. Moments later Cia opens her eyes.

"Good morning," she says.

"Good morning," he replies before he leans in closer and pulls her into a gentle kiss.

"Everything alright with Ash?" Cia asks when they break the kiss.

"Yeah, she's fine."

"Good," Cia says and pulls him into another kiss which starts as gentle as the kiss before, but she quickly deepens it, and the next thing Johnny knows is how Cia wraps her arms around him, pulling him closer and on top of her. And he doesn't mind at all. In fact, he likes the idea that they continue where they stopped last night.

But when their kisses become more passionate, his phone rings and he pulls away out of reflex. He sits up and grabs his phone from the nightstand. And yes, he can feel the disapproving look she's giving him.

He looks at his phone. Yes, he knows that number. It's the label. And Johnny decides this can wait. So he just mutes his phone and puts it back on the nightstand.

He looks at Cia with a smirk. "Where were we?"

"Don't think I didn't realize you checked the caller ID first," Cia says with a raised brow. However, the corners of her mouth are turned up a little into some sort of a teeny-tiny smile, but it's enough to tell Johnny that she's happy he didn't answer the call.

"But I did mute it now, soooooo…" He breaks off, deepening his smirk and tilting his head to the side.

It doesn't fail to have the desired effect because Cia laughs.

"Well, in that case," she says before she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him into another kiss.


	34. Chapter 34

_Cia_

Cia checks her reflection in the mirror. Following Ash's dark colors-rule she's wearing a short navy-blue dress. Yes, Ash said that they don't have to dress up, but it's still a special occasion. It's Ash and Lance's _wedding!_ If that doesn't ask for dressing-up, Cia doesn't know what would. Johnny agreed when he got dressed earlier, choosing black pants and a dark-green shirt.

He had to leave for a short meeting with the label after that, though. It was _supposed_ to be a short meeting, but Johnny's gone for two hours already. Cia checks the alarm clock on the night-stand. She only hopes they aren't going to be late.

Fifteen minutes later, Cia is starting to get nervous, and ten minutes after that she's pacing up and down the room, feeling panic rising in her chest.

 _We're gonna be late, we're gonna be late,_ she's thinking over and over again.

She almost goes flying when her phone rings.

Checking the caller-ID, Cia lets out a sigh of relief. It's Johnny.

"Hi!" she greets him. "Where are you? Time's getting short!"

" _Yeah, I know,"_ Johnny replies, and she doesn't like that he sounds a bit insecure. " _Look, I just got out of the meeting. It took longer than thought. Do you think you can take a cab to the registry office? I'll drive there directly from here."_

"Sure!" she says quickly. "See you later, Johnny!"

" _Bye, Cia!"_

Cia ends the call and simply darts out of the apartment. Even with the cab, time's getting short. Luckily, she gets one really quickly.

All the way to the registry office, Cia's checking the time on her phone at minute intervals. Not only because she's still afraid of being late - she knows she'll get there in time now. She's just a bit angry with Johnny. Which she probably shouldn't be.

It's his job. But she doesn't like that he didn't call her earlier. He didn't have a chance for that, maybe, but it still makes her a bit angry.

Today is Ash's wedding. Ash, as in _Johnny's best friend!_ And now he's going to be late!

As much as she gets that Johnny wants to be responsible about his job, she thought he'd always take his friends, his family first.

She was so proud and happy when he didn't take the call this morning, when he gave _her_ preference. And now that.

She simply jumps out of the cab thinking about what to tell Ash that Johnny is going to be late when she sets eyes on a familiar gorilla climbing out of his truck.

"Johnny!" she calls out, and he immediately turns to her. Cia lets out the breath she's been holding in a long sigh, the tension melting away from her. And then she runs up to him, jumping into his arms.

"I was so worried you weren't going to make it!" she says. "How… how did you-"

He doesn't let her finish, just presses his mouth to hers.

When they pull apart, he smiles at her.

"Hey, I've been a getaway driver for a reason!" he says.

"Obviously!" Cia replies with a little laugh before she pulls him into another kiss. And before she can get a hold on herself, she's deepening the kiss.

Her brain kicks in just in time, and she pulls away. Johnny looks at her with a little frown, and Cia just smiles at him.

"Come on!" she says, taking his hand and dragging him with. "Or we're _really_ going to be late! And knowing Ash…"

"We better not take a risk!" Johnny finishes her sentences.

He obviously knows just as well as her that while Ash is always acting like she doesn't really care about this wedding, she would either _die_ than getting married without her best friend.

* * *

Johnny and Cia are the last ones to arrive, but they are just in time.

Ash sets eyes on them, and although she's trying to hide it, Cia doesn't miss that she lets out a sigh.

"So, everyone here?" the female porcupine asks as she gets up from her seat, and it's so obvious that she's _trying_ to sound matter-of-factly that Cia almost laughs."Then let's get this over with."

Cia, Meena, and Rosita made bets on what color Ash's dress will be. If Ash will be wearing a dress at all. Cia bet on dark-blue because it's a wedding after all and a bride just shouldn't wear black on her wedding day, Meena on black because Ash doesn't care about what a bride should and shouldn't do, and Rosita bet on red because a bride should wear at least a little color.

They've all been wrong because Ash's dress - yes, she is wearing a dress - is light gray. Which probably is the closest thing to white Ash is ever going to wear.

She tries to hide it, but Ash is nervous. Cia can see the slight shaking of the little bouquet of blue flowers Ash's holding in her hand.

But all the way through the ceremony, the bouquet is shaking a little, until the couple says their "I do"s, and then the shaking stops, and Ash and Lance kiss.

Cia applauds with the others, watching from the corner of her eye how Rosita wipes away a tear.

Cia doesn't know what it is, but weddings just make some animals cry. Not her, though. She never cries at weddings.

She turns to Johnny, and he's grinning from ear to ear. And there's something glistening in his eyes, something that looks a lot like tears. It makes Cia smile even more, and she leans against Johnny's arm a little.

* * *

The get-together at the Sunrise Lounge is nice. They're having some snacks and drinks, although for Meena and of course Ash it's anti-alcoholic drinks. But somehow, something is missing, and it takes Cia a little too long to realize that there are only Ash's friends from the theater there and Lance's bandmates.

And then she remembers what Johnny told her about Ash. That she has no living family. Her parents died in a car accident when she was a baby, and she was raised by her grandmother. But a few months before Ash's graduation from high school, she died.

As for Lance's family, he isn't really in touch with them since he and Ash moved to the city. He calls them every once in a while, visits them once a year, but that's pretty much it.

So it's no wonder that there is no family at this wedding. Somehow, this makes Cia sad.

She looks for Ash and finds her standing a bit secluded from the rest. Cia walks over to her.

"Hi Ash!" she greets her. "How are you feeling?"

Ash shrugs. "I'm okay. Just a bit tired, but that's a permanent condition right now." She laughs a little, motioning at her belly.

"I see," Cia says with a little laugh.

"I guess I just need to let it sink in, this whole marriage-thing," Ash says. "Not that much of a difference anyway."

Her words make Cia smile. "No, of course not."

"Oh, I almost forgot," Ash says as she reaches at a table behind her and takes her bridal bouquet. "I know I am supposed to throw that thing, but well, you know." She shrugs again. "So, here," she adds as she holds out the bouquet to Cia.

"What?" Cia blinks a few times. "You can't just _give_ me your bouquet. And isn't there someone else more likely to be getting married next, like, Nancy, maybe?"

Ash just rolls her eyes and throws her bouquet at Cia's chest, and out of reflex, Cia catches it.

"There you go!" Ash says with a grin.

"But-," Cia says.

"Have fun at the party, Cia!" Ash says before she walks away on her way to talk to her other guests.

"But-," Cia says again, trying to think of words to say, but she can't think of any. She looks from the bouquet to Ash's retreating form and back at the bouquet.

"But-," she says once more.


	35. Chapter 35

_Johnny_

Johnny watches from the distance how Ash and Cia talk, and then how Ash forces her bridal bouquet on Cia. It makes him laugh a little.

He watches a bit longer how Cia looks after Ash. He expects her to walk over to him and complain about Ash or say something funny, but instead, Cia looks down at the bouquet, a frown crinkling her forehead.

This brings a frown to Johnny's face as well and he decides to walk over to her.

When he comes closer, Cia turns her head and looks at him, and her eyes widen.

"I-I-I didn't … catch it!" she says, stumbling over her own words, and Johnny doesn't miss the sound of panic in her voice. "I mean, yes, I did catch it, but that was because Ash threw it right at me and … and … I … it was Ash!"

"I know," Johnny replies. "I saw."

"Oh, good." Cia lets out a sigh, and for a moment, she looks like she's about to smile, but then the frown is back as she looks down at the bouquet in her hands.

Johnny wraps an arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer, hoping this will make the frown disappear.

"Come on, what's wrong?" he asks.

"It's … weird," Cia says. "I can't see me, us, being the next to get married. I mean it's way too early for that, and I don't want you to panic and I … I don't know."

"As far as I can tell you are the only one panicking around here," Johnny replies.

Cia sighs, but doesn't say anything.

"Why?" he asks therefore.

Cia sighs again. "I don't know. It got me thinking that you might panic because it's too early for that and then I panicked because you could panic and maybe break up with me and-"

She wants to say more, but he doesn't let her.

"Break up with you? Because Ash threw her bridal bouquet at you?" he asks.

"No! Because you think you have to marry me now."

Johnny laughs a little at that, rubbing her upper arm with his hand.

"Cia, let me promise you this," he says. "If I marry you, I'll do it because I _want_ to, _not_ because I have to."

Cia looks at him. "Okay."

He can't resist and leans in to press a kiss to her lips.

"And it's not like the thought has never crossed my mind," he says when he pulls away again.

Cia's eyes widen at his words. "Are you … serious?"

He shrugs. "Yeah."

Cia's eyes widen a little more. "Really?"

"No need to panic!" he adds quickly, rubbing her upper arm again. "When I helped Lance pick an engagement bracelet, I thought which one would fit you. That's all." He shrugs again. "Just a thought, like I said. A guy's allowed to dream, you know."

"Yes," Cia says as she leans into him. "You are."

For a moment, Johnny thinks of asking her if she has never thought about marrying him, especially now that Ash and Lance got married. But he doesn't. If the bouquet alone makes her panic like that, he'd better not add fuel to the fire.

Although he is a tiny bit hurt that the thought makes her panic like that.

 _No, no, that's not true,_ he corrects himself. _She panicked because she thought I could break up with her. Like I could ever do that!_

He smiles down at her before he pulls her into another kiss, and this time, Cia responds to it immediately, kissing him back just as deeply.

They only pull apart when Mike shouts "Get a room!" into their direction.

* * *

When they arrive at Johnny's apartment later that night, Johnny catches Cia frowning down at the bouquet again, from the corner of his eye, when he unlocks the door to his apartment. And he doesn't like it.

He needs to do something, and an idea forms in his head. He opens the door, and because he usually lets her in first, Cia sets into motion, but he stops her. Cia looks at him with a surprised look on her face.

Johnny just smiles at her, adding a wink, before he picks her up bridal style and carries her inside. Cia tenses a bit in his arms, and then, suddenly, she starts laughing, and Johnny laughs, too, as he kicks the door to the apartment shut.

"Now, lets bring you to bed," he says with a smirk.

"Sounds like a plan," Cia replies. "Oh wait! Almost forgot!"

And with that, she throws the bridal bouquet on the couch when they pass it.

"Oh yes! Me too!" he says. He shifts Cia a bit, so he can hold her with one arm without putting her down. He knows he can do that for a bit from experience. Then he reaches into his pocket and produces his phone, throwing it on the couch, too. He moves Cia back into the bridal style position.

"Yay!" Cia cheers.

They look at each other for a moment before Cia kisses him. Way too soon for his taste, she pulls away again.

"Weeeeell," she drawls, fiddling around with the collar of his shirt, "I thought I heard you mentioning something about a _bed_."

She looks up at him with her beautiful eyes.

"Yeah," he replies, "I did!"

And then he can't get to his bedroom fast enough. It makes Cia giggle.

* * *

The time after Ash's wedding passes rather quickly. Days turn into weeks, and Johnny realizes how the weather is getting colder. Not that much, though, not in this part of the country. Autumn is when the daytime temperatures sink a bit, and winter is when you have to wear a jacket and a scarf, but that's pretty much it.

Still, it's getting colder, and it makes Johnny happy. He never cared much about the seasons, only liked winter because of Christmas, but now he does. Because of Cia.

She never said anything, but he knows that snow leopards prefer colder weather. When he asked her, Cia insisted that snow leopards have adapted, and he believes it. She couldn't live in this part of the country if they hadn't.

It doesn't change the fact that snow leopards enjoy colder weather. And the pleasant sigh that left Cia's mouth when she opened the window this morning when the colder air brushed her face told him everything.

And with the colder weather, an invitation arrives. This time, it's a written one, not like Ash's text-invitation. It's a handwritten one. Very classic.

Very _Mike_.

It's an invitation to a Halloween party, but knowing Mike, it's more about showing off his new apartment, the one he got now that he doesn't have to have bodyguards around him all the time. Johnny heard him brag about it to Gunter, especially emphasizing the great view over the city and the big and beautiful roof terrace.

The Halloween party still sounds like fun, and Johnny especially likes that costumes are required.

When Cia arrives at his place this evening he asks her about the party.

"Oh yeah," she says, "I got an invitation, too. You wanna go?"

"Sure!" Johnny replies. "You saw that costumes are required?"

"Yes," Cia replies, raising a brow. "Why?"

Johnny's mouth turns into a smirk. "Because I have an idea."


	36. Chapter 36

_I want to thank TrashMouseMike for reminding me that there needs to be a Halloween-chapter. :) *hugs*_

* * *

 _Cia_

Cia doesn't feel okay as she enters the apartment building. Part of it is due to the fact that her costume only allows her to make small steps. The other part is due to the fact that she hates going to Mike's party alone. Sure, Johnny is going to show up later, but she still hates it.

As much as she hates these _short_ meetings the label sets up on a weekly basis now. And if Cia knows something for sure than the word _short_ doesn't mean anything for the label. So she knew exactly what it meant when Johnny said the label had set up a short get-together. She knew that this meant the get-together was going to last for hours. She knew that Johnny would call or send a text to tell her that she should go to the party without him and that he'd come later.

She knew it, she knew it all, but still, she somehow had hoped for things to be different today. Which they weren't. Johnny's text arrived an hour ago.

And now here she is, entering the elevator and pressing the button for the top floor. And she does _not_ like it!

She checks her reflection in the mirror of the elevator. Granted, she looks okay. The ear clips are annoying, though, not to mention that the long pearl necklace is adding some extra-annoyance. At least she managed to talk Johnny out of the purple and pink version of this costume and convince him of the costume she's wearing now. The one in turquoise and blue and lilac. Those aqua-colors are way more fitting anyway. Both her and the costume.

Nonetheless, she would have preferred Johnny were here with her. Her costume makes only half as much sense without him.

That moment, the elevator stops and the doors open. Cia sighs, straightens her shoulders and marches over to Mike's apartment. If her small steps can be called marching, that is.

* * *

After greeting Mike and Nancy, and being complimented on her costume by Nancy while Mike said she should have a look around, before handing her a cocktail, Cia searches the party guests for someone she knows. She's glad when she sets eyes on Ash and Lance a bit in the background. They're both dressed as vampires which is somehow fitting, Cia thinks. With a smile she makes her way over to them.

Ash greets her with a big smile, and Cia, for the first time, realizes that Ash's belly can already be called a baby bump. Ash even contributes to it by having one hand resting on it. If she does it by accident or deliberately, Cia can't tell, but knowing Ash, it must be by accident. Ash isn't someone to show her baby bump around and telling everyone that she's pregnant. From what Johnny told Cia, Ash only told her label when she couldn't hide the fact that she's pregnant any longer.

"Hello, Cia!" Ash greets her, looking her over.

"Nice costume!" Lance tells her.

"Thanks, I like your costumes, too," Cia replies.

Ash smiles at her. "Thanks. Although, gotta admit, I didn't think you'd show up here as a mermaid."

"Yeah," Cia says, fiddling about with her pearl necklace, "it was Johnny's idea. And it would make much more sense if he were here."

"Speaking of Johnny," Ash says, "where is he?"

"The label set up a Halloween-get-together. He'll come here later." And although she knows better she adds, "It's going to be really short."

Ash just nods, as does Lance, and something tells Cia they aren't really buying it. She can't even blame them.

"Soooooo," Cia drawls, trying to change the topic, "anyone figured out what Mike and Nancy are supposed to be?"

She motions into the direction of the two mice, and really, she isn't sure what they are. They are just wearing black and white and grey. She wouldn't even consider this a costume except Mike and Nancy never just wear black and white and grey.

"From what I picked up they are characters from a black-and-white gangster movie," Lance explains.

"Ah, this makes sense," Cia says.

That moment, the door to apartment opens, and Cia immediately turns her head, hoping it might be Johnny and that this time, short actually meant short. That's not the case, though, because Mr. Moon and Eddie enter, the koala dressed up as an astronaut, the sheep wearing a superhero-costume complete with foam muscles. It almost makes Cia laugh.

Then Ash and Lance engage her in a conversation.

* * *

After three hours of talking to Ash and Lance and then talking to Rosita and Gunter who showed up in super-glitzy clown-costumes with colorful wigs. She even talked to Mr. Moon for a bit, but now she needs some fresh air.

Lucky for her, the roof terrace is almost empty. Or at least it's big enough to find some peace and quiet out there. With a sigh, Cia sits down on one of the chairs at the balustrade and looks over the skyline of the city. She tries to ignore the fact that she really misses Johnny right now, but it doesn't work. The truth is, she wants him to be here.

"Mind if I join you?" a voice asks, and Cia turns to set eyes on Nancy.

"No, no, go ahead," she says quickly although Cia'd prefer to be alone. And Nancy is probably just trying to be a good host.

The female mouse smiles at her and climbs the chair next to Cia.

"So, are you enjoying the party?" Nancy asks.

"Yes, yes, I am, it's great!" Cia replies, realizing too late that her words are a little too loud and leave her mouth a little too fast.

Nancy realizes, too, of course, and raises a brow. "Really?"

Cia sighs. No need in denying the obvious, right?

"Well, I guess I am just not much of a party animal," she admits.

"I see," Nancy replies.

Cia looks the mouse over, remembering how confident she is when it comes to parties, how much she enjoys being the center of attention, how much she loves to be at Mike's side, adding that little bit of extra to his appearance that makes them the perfect couple at social events. Again, Cia is reminded of how much she envies Nancy for that, how much she would _love_ to be more like her, just a little bit.

"Sometimes, I wish I could be more like you," Cia tells the mouse.

Nancy raises her brow a bit more. "Like me?"

"Yes!" Cia assures her. "You are so comfortable with all of this! And I guess being with the males we are with, that's important!"

Nancy looks at her for a few moments, then shakes her head lightly.

"No," she says. "It's not."

"What?" Cia asks, her eyes wide.

"What is important," Nancy goes on, "is that we love them. I'd normally say I can only speak for myself, but it is so obvious that you and Johnny are deeply in love, that I dare say, that we do love them. And that's what counts. Whether or not you enjoy being at parties is secondary."

"But what if I have to accompany Johnny to some social event and I act weird because I don't feel comfortable? What if don't accompany him at all because I don't like it?"

"You're asking the wrong questions," Nancy says. "Does it matter to Johnny?"

"What?"

"Does it matter to Johnny that you might act weird? Does it matter to Johnny that you'd rather stay at home?"

"I … don't think so," Cia replies, "but-"

Nancy doesn't let her finish.

"Then there is no _but_ ," she clarifies. She looks at something - or someone - behind Cia and jumps down from her seat. "I have to go now," Nancy says. "Have fun at the party, Cia! I am sure things are going to look up for you from now on."

Cia doesn't say anything, just watches Nancy leave. Then, all of a sudden, two arms wrap around Cia's body from behind her, two arms she knows so very well, and she gives a little relieved laugh before she turns her head to look at Johnny.

"Hi!" she greets him.

"Hi!" Johnny replies, wrapping his arms a bit tighter around her and resting his chin on her shoulder, pressing his cheek to hers.

"Sorry, this took so long," he adds.

"It's okay," Cia says. She leans into his embrace a bit more before Johnny slowly pulls away.

"Should we get something to drink?" he asks.

"Sounds like a plan!" Cia replies and gets up.

She takes a moment to take in Johnny in his costume. She has to admit, the pirate-clothes fit him, the shirt, the pants, the boots, even the hat that could easily look funny on someone, but not on Johnny. He looks really handsome.

She had her doubts when Johnny came up with the idea to go to the party as pirate and mermaid as some sort of a memory to the time as a kid when he wanted to be a pirate. Okay, she never had any doubt that he'd look good. It was her part, the mermaid-part she'd been worried about. But now as she watches Johnny letting his eyes wander over her form, sending a pleasant prickle over her skin, she's fine with it.

Then she takes Johnny's hand and they start walking back inside. However, her costume makes it hard for Cia to keep up with Johnny's steps. It's the moment Cia starts having doubts again. As much as Johnny seems to love her in her costume, she doesn't like not being able to move around quickly.

"Wait!" she says. "I am not as fast as usual in this!"

Johnny stops and looks at her. Then he shrugs, scoops her up bridal style and carries her inside.

And Cia is fine with her costume again.


End file.
